The proposed moratorium comes amid rising fears that data centers consume too much power, use too much water, create “mysterious humming noises,” and may eventually “change the character of the area” by existing quietly inside large industrial buildings.
“We’re not anti-technology,” resident Cheryl Vance clarified in a 14-paragraph Facebook post uploaded during the meeting. “We just think there should be limits on how much technology it takes to support our technology.”
Community concerns escalated last month after residents learned the proposed facility could contain “thousands of servers,” a phrase many interpreted as either environmentally dangerous or emotionally unsettling.
“I don’t think people fully understand what’s happening here,” one resident warned. “This thing would basically store…the internet.”
Others expressed fears that the facility’s power usage could strain the grid, despite admitting they were unsure how electricity works beyond “the bill being higher than it used to be.”
At one point during public comment, a resident asked whether “the cloud” would become physically visible above the site.
City staff attempted to explain that data centers are increasingly tied to cloud computing, streaming platforms, remote work, AI tools, online banking, healthcare systems, and nearly every major digital service modern residents use daily. Officials were immediately interrupted by citizens demanding to know why buffering still occurs during peak Netflix hours.
Meanwhile, several residents argued the facility would create “almost no jobs,” before later expressing concern about increased traffic from the workers they claimed would not exist.
“This town says it wants high-tech investment,” said one exhausted economic development official following the meeting. “But apparently only if it arrives invisibly, uses no power, creates exactly 24 well-paying jobs, makes no noise, and can somehow fit inside a historic downtown storefront.”
Public anxiety intensified after local Facebook groups began circulating unverified claims that the building could emit “server vibrations,” interfere with migratory bird patterns, and potentially “attract more data centers if left unchecked.”
One post receiving more than 600 shares warned residents that the project represented “a slippery slope toward becoming Northern Virginia.”
Despite widespread opposition, most residents agreed the community still desperately needs:
faster internet
better cell service
more tech jobs
AI workforce training
remote work opportunities
stronger digital infrastructure
and improved online access to city services
Officials confirmed they are currently evaluating all feedback, though progress has reportedly slowed after the city’s overloaded servers crashed during an online petition campaign opposing server infrastructure.
