Nelson County approves $8.9M purchase of property: A data center in the offing?

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors has approved the purchase of 683 acres of undeveloped land on the Route 29 corridor south of Lovington, less than a mile from Nelson County High School, for $8.9 million.

The county announced the purchase on Thursday, hours after a local Realtor had written about a rumor making the rounds that a data center developer had expressed interest in the property, which was set to go up for sale in a public auction next week.

“It’s apparently data season in many parts of Virginia,” Yvette Stafford wrote on her Substack, Nelsonian.

The press release from the county doesn’t address the plans of the Board of Supervisors regarding the property, which the release notes “represents a strategic investment in an area long identified by county planning efforts as a key location for future economic development because of its transportation access and proximity to existing infrastructure.”

Hmmm.

More from the release:

County officials recognize the public interest surrounding the purchase and are committed to transparency throughout the process. The acquisition allows the county to evaluate future opportunities for this strategically located property, rather than seeing it pass into private ownership without public input.

Over the coming months, the county will conduct additional analysis regarding the property’s opportunities, constraints, infrastructure needs, environmental considerations, and potential public benefits. Citizens will have multiple opportunities to participate in those discussions.

“This is not the end of a process, it is the beginning of one,” said Jessica Ligon, the chair of the Board of Supervisors, per the release from the county. “The purchase simply ensures that Nelson County residents will have a seat at the table in determining the future of this property.”

It seems that county officials are sensitive about the elephant in the room – the data center part of this story.

The release included “several important points” regarding the future of the property:

The acquisition does not approve or commit the county to any specific development project.

No rezoning actions are being proposed as part of this purchase.

Any future use of the property would require public discussion, community input, and appropriate governmental approvals.

County ownership provides greater local control over future outcomes that would not exist under private ownership.

The property can be evaluated for a variety of potential public purposes, including economic development, recreation, infrastructure, or a combination of uses.