WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Nearly 100 Wythe County residents packed Fort Chiswell High School Monday night for the first in a series of public input meetings focused on zoning and a major AI computing campus being developed at Progress Park, about 15 minutes from downtown Wytheville.
The meeting did not stop the current development, but it marked the first step toward establishing some form of oversight over how future projects take shape in the county.
County working to establish zoning guidance
Wythe County Deputy Administrator Matthew Hankins said county leadership is trying to create a framework to manage growth — but acknowledged it won’t be easy.
“We’re trying to put in some guidance that would let us control and guide how development happens here in Wythe County,” Hankins said. “It’s a hard process because it’s not something that people are used to.”
Hankins noted that Wythe County is among a very small number of Virginia counties without zoning. He said 87.5 counties in Virginia have zoning, with Franklin County being partially zoned.
“We’re in that very small minority of people that haven’t taken this on,” Hankins said. “Part of the issue is people here really respect property rights, and I get that. But at the same time, I want to be a considerate part of the community and make sure that we do something that’s compatible — working together the right way.”
Residents worry about rural character
Andy Kegley, a Wythe County resident, urged county supervisors to carefully consider what is at stake for the community.
“We hope that the county supervisors will sort of take a deep breath,” Kegley said. “Understand that the legacy of the rural character of Wythe County is on the line. And do they want to be responsible for letting the horse out of the barn and whatever happens.”
Kegley said the absence of zoning has made the county a target for unwanted development.
“We’re one of the very few counties in the state of Virginia that does not have zoning,” he said. “So I think the word has maybe gotten out that Wythe County is very vulnerable to these kinds of unwanted developments.”
Water use and utility costs addressed
Water consumption is among the concerns raised by residents. County officials have said the data center would use only 2,000 gallons of water per day — just 0.13% of Progress Park’s current capacity.
The county has also assured residents that the SolisArx project will not impact electrical bills for local homes or businesses.
More meetings planned
A date for the next community input meeting has not been set, but it is expected to take place in April and will most likely be held in the Rural Retreat area. County leadership has said it plans to hold two additional informational meetings at other Wythe County high schools.