After nearly a year of heated debate over a proposed hyperscale data center, Stokes County residents had a final chance this week to make their case to commissioners before a key rezoning vote.
During Tuesday's public hearing, an overflow crowd set up in lawn chairs in the parking lot of the county government center as the meeting played over outdoor speakers. Brenda Mabe was among them — she even brought snacks.
“Well it was dinnertime, we didn’t know how long we were gonna be here,” she said, laughing.
The meetings have developed their own kind of game day energy. The crowd cheers when they hear something they like, and heckles when they don’t.
In some ways, that feedback appears to have shaped the proposal itself.
Engineered Land Solutions CEO Drew Nations outlined a series of stricter standards the company says it would follow if commissioners approve the rezoning request. They include limits related to noise, energy generation and water use.
The company also paid for an archaeological review of the site and committed to leaving historically significant land untouched.
But the changes did not appear to sway many members of the crowd outside.
“I mean, they'll say anything to get that money, to get the land. They'll say anything,” said Debra Demske with the Foothills Sierra Club.
Inside, commissioners heard hours of public comment on everything from the project’s environmental impact to potential health effects. But not everyone was opposed.
Resident Gary Wilkins said the tax revenue could be transformative for a county that’s been losing population and income.
“We've got many reasons to vote for the data center. I love this county. I love the fact that we are rural, but we cannot continue to pay for this county at the current rate that we're going," he said.
More “yes to data centers” signs have appeared next to the “no” signs along Stokes County roadsides in the past few months. But it’s hard to say how it's all landing among the commissioners, who ultimately will make the final call.
The vote is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.