Supes ok more money for turf fields; Election roundup; AWS plans 10 data centers for first phase of North Creek Tech Campus; Louisa Town Council appoints Carter as interim mayor; PC preview
Supes ok more money for turf fields; Election roundup; AWS plans 10 data centers for first phase of North Creek Tech Campus; Louisa Town Council appoints Carter as interim mayor; PC preview
Engage Louisa is a nonpartisan newsletter that keeps folks informed about Louisa County government. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
This week in county government: public meetings, Nov. 11 through Nov. 16
For the latest information on county meetings including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here. (Note: Louisa County occasionally schedules internal committee/work group meetings after publication time. Check the county’s website for the most updated information).
Tuesday, November 12
Louisa County Electoral Board, Provisional Ballot Meeting and Canvass, Office of Elections, 103 McDonald St., Louisa, 11:30 am.
Wednesday, November 13
James River Water Authority, Fluvanna County Administration Building, 132 Main St., Palmyra, 9 am. (agenda packet)
Neighborhood Meeting, hosted by the Louisa County Community Development Department, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 4 pm. (More information)
The Louisa County Community Development Department will host a neighborhood meeting to allow two applicants an opportunity to discuss and answer questions about their projects.
The projects include:
Louisa Solar 1, LLC’s request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a utility-scale solar generation facility on 55.72 acres of a 118-acre tract on Kloeckner Road about 500 feet from the boundary line between Louisa and Albemarle County (tax map parcel 1-3). The property, located in the Green Springs Election District, is zoned for agricultural use (A-2).
Robert and Stacy Fuller’s request to rezone, from General Commercial in a Growth Area Overlay District (C-2 GAOD) to General Agricultural in a Growth Area Overlay District (A-2 GAOD), 3.7 acres on the west side of Courthouse Road (Route 208) about a half mile north of the Ferncliff exit off Interstate 64 in the Patrick Henry Election District (tax map parcel 67-3-2). The Fullers intend to establish an agricultural operation on the property.
Louisa County Water Authority, 23 Loudin Lane, Louisa, 6 pm.
Thursday, November 14
Louisa County Planning Commission, long-range planning work session, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 5 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)
Louisa County Planning Commission, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 7 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)
Other meetings/events
Tuesday, November 12
Mineral Town Council, Mineral Town Hall, 312 Mineral Ave., Mineral, 6:30 pm. (agenda packet)
BOS roundup: Supes ok more money for turf fields
A pair of synthetic turf fields are set for construction adjacent to Louisa County Middle School after the board of supervisors narrowly agreed to allocate more money for the project last Monday night. (meeting materials, video)
After a public hearing in which a dozen community members weighed in, mostly urging the board to build the fields, supervisors voted 4-3 to appropriate $2.77 million to fully fund the project.
The board had already allocated nearly $3.6 million for the fields, mostly in the FY24 budget. But the cost of the project spiraled since it was initially approved, putting its future in limbo.
The fields are now expected to cost $6.33 million, about 77 percent more than originally anticipated.
County officials have said the cost increase is due, in part, to requirements that they mitigate the project’s impact on wetlands. A rough-grading bid for the first phase of construction, which includes installing stormwater management features and building about 300 feet of retaining wall, came in more than $1.3 million over budget.
Parks and Recreation Director James Smith initially pushed for the fields during the FY24 budget process, arguing that they’re necessary to meet the needs of the growing number of participants in youth and scholastic sports.
Smith said that the county’s current fields are inadequate and dangerous, noting that many youth sports teams are forced to practice on a barren field behind the middle school that’s overused, unlit and in poor condition.
Smith has also pointed out that neither the county nor the school division has any fields with synthetic surfaces, which typically require less maintenance than grass fields and allow for play in wet conditions.
Before voting to approve more funding for the fields, Patrick Henry District Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes, a former high school coach and athletics director, echoed Smith.
“I’ve been down to that field where parents had their lights on on their cars, so kids could practice, so kids could play. On my way to the board meeting today, I drove down to the metal gym [behind the middle school], and I saw two field hockey goals in the corner on the baseball field where the girls were practicing,” Barnes said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to do, not only for adults, but our youth. Our kids need us right now. The facilities they are playing on are subpar.”
Smith and Barnes have said the new fields will meet the needs of existing youth sports teams, allow the Parks and Rec Department to expand its programming, and provide more space for school sports.
County officials have also said that the facilities could generate revenue by hosting tournaments and clinics. Those events could draw visitors that stay at local hotels and eat at local restaurants.
According to Monday night’s presentation, the project will include two rectangular Astroturf fields with shock pads, Musco Sports Lighting, and two Nevco Scoreboards. The fields will feature permanent markings for football and soccer and allow for temporary markings for field hockey and lacrosse.
At least initially, the fields won’t include a concession stand or bathrooms. Barnes said bathrooms would be available in the metal gym, but noted county officials are exploring other options. He also said that the county could work with Louisa County High School’s Career and Technical Education Program to build a concession stand.
A group of youth sports enthusiasts attended the meeting to support the project, mostly representing the Louisa Area Soccer Association. Some spoke during the public hearing, emphasizing that the fields are a community need. Representatives from Louisa Elite Youth Football expressed support for the project at a previous meeting.
“Due to a lack of field space for the volume of athletics programs in Louisa, many of our young athletes are forced to train on uneven, bumpy fields, in gyms or on tennis courts, spaces that don’t meet their needs or foster their potential. Space issues are compounded when the sun starts setting early, and wet weather makes field space inaccessible. Current field conditions present safety concerns,” Louisa District resident Melissa Young said.
Young added that her kids are avid soccer players, and she and other parents are forced to travel to Charlottesville for games and practices because of the limited facilities in Louisa.
“A lit turf field complex could be a huge contributing step toward programs that allow us to keep families here and our community connected,” she said.
But not everyone agreed that funding the fields was a good idea. Amy Ware, speaking on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, said the committee was told at its October meeting that the turf field project was slightly over budget.
She said that she discovered the extent of the overrun from looking at Monday night’s agenda, and that she and other committee members have concerns about where the additional funding for the project is coming from.
Ware said the department aims to save money for projects over time, and the committee is currently eying an indoor pool, indoor and outdoor sports complexes and a skatepark. She also noted the need for improvements to local parks, which are dependent on the Parks Maintenance and Enhancements Fund.
“We’ve been trying to be good stewards of our county tax dollars by saving funds for years, and we’ve finally gotten to the point where we can accomplish some of these projects, and it looks like from the presentation I saw that the overrun is coming from those line items,” Ware said.
In response, Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams, a member of the board’s finance committee, said that he needs “increased communication from our Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.”
But he also suggested that the board not draw about $458,000 from the Parks Maintenance and Enhancements Fund for the project as had been discussed earlier in the meeting.
Supervisors will draw the additional $2.77 million for the fields from three sources: about $1.277 million will come from the county’s long-term capital reserves; $500,000 will come from Louisa County Public School’s long-term capital reserves; and $1 million will come from Parks and Rec’s long-term capital fund.
The board has set aside $2.2 million in that fund in recent years, $1.2 million of which was initially earmarked for an indoor aquatic center.
Williams said the pool money would still be there. But he noted it barely scratches the surface of what the facility would cost. County officials estimate that an indoor pool with “programming space” could cost between $10 and $25 million.
Several supervisors said they couldn’t support appropriating the additional funding for the fields.
Louisa District Supervisor Manning Woodward said that while he agrees that the county is “way behind on ball fields,” he can’t justify forking over another $2.77 million, which could be pulling money from other projects.
He said he’d be comfortable funding one turf field and putting grass on the other, arguing that approach could potentially save the county about $2 million.
Cuckoo District Supervisor Chris McCotter said that, as a former youth soccer coach, he understands what local teams are facing. But he said he’d heard from constituents who opposed the allocation.
“I have received ample correspondence from the residents of the Cuckoo District, and they have given me a detailed view of the budget supplement for these fields. And, for the most part, they have told me there are too many other needs, there are too many issues to make this project a priority now,” he said.
McCotter added that the county recently conducted a survey to assess the community’s priorities for the Parks and Rec Department, and respondents didn’t rank the fields at the top of the list.
McCotter then made a motion to table the item, which was seconded by Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow. The motion failed on a voice vote.
The board subsequently voted to appropriate the additional money with Barnes, Williams, Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams and Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones voting in favor and Woodward, Barlow and McCotter opposing.
Other business
Supes ok Dove Hollow proffer amendment: Supervisors voted 7-0 to okay a proffer amendment for the eight-lot Dove Hollow subdivision off Chalk Level Road (Route 625).
The amendment removes a requirement that Swamp Bottom, LLC, the subdivision’s developer, plant Leyland Cypress trees to supplement a natural buffer along the border of the 6.08-acre Lot 8, which fronts Chalk Level Road.
Swamp Bottom principal Michael Tolley said in his land use application that he tried to plant the trees on the periphery of the parcel, but it’s too wet to support their growth.
Board briefly discusses draft honorary road naming policy: Supervisors briefly discussed a draft policy that establishes guidelines for naming a slice of roadway in a citizen’s honor.
Under the policy, honorary road namings would be limited to one per year and reserved for “individuals with strong ties to Louisa County who have achieved notable distinction at the national or international level.” (draft policy)
The board, at its October 21 meeting, established a committee to craft an honorary road naming policy after Louisa District Supervisor Manning Woodward requested that the board name a mile-long stretch of Davis Highway (Route 22) in front of Louisa County High School in honor of Col. Samuel Nelson Drew.
A 1966 LCHS graduate, Drew served in the Air Force and as a diplomat, playing a key role in bringing peace to the Balkans. In 1995, Drew died in an accident while traveling in the region. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by then-President Bill Clinton.
Woodward and Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones agreed to serve on the committee. Jones expressed concern about the draft policy on Monday night, contending the requirement that an honoree gain national or international recognition could exclude some worthy residents, who gain distinction locally.
The committee agreed to continue work on the draft.
Coon updates board on Holly Grove radio tower project: Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon updated the board on the Holly Grove radio tower project.
In an effort to improve emergency communication for first responders, the county is building a 195-foot telecommunications tower, topped with a four-foot antenna, adjacent to the Holly Grove Volunteer Fire Department. The county is tapping a $1 million federal appropriation to fund the project.
Coon said that work on the project is expected to begin in the next few weeks, noting that county officials are waiting on final approval from the federal government.
Supes approve TJPDC legislative priorities: The board voted 7-0 to approve the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission’s regional legislative platform for the 2025 General Assembly session. Read the platform here.
Election ‘24 wrap-up: Mix of new and familiar faces elected to Louisa, Mineral town councils; Republicans roll in reliably red Louisa
Voters across the country cast ballots last Tuesday in a host of elections, from high-stakes federal contests to town council races where the winners will represent only a few hundred people.
In the race for the White House, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, claimed a decisive victory over his Democratic challenger, Vice President Kamala Harris, racking up 312 electoral votes to her 226, according to the Associated Press.
And Trump’s party could be on its way to claiming a coveted trifecta in Washington. Republicans won a majority in the Senate—at publication time, the GOP had claimed 52 seats to Democrats 46—and appeared on track to win a slim majority in the House of Representatives. A final tally in the House could be weeks away as several states finish processing mail-in ballots.
In Virginia, two-term incumbent Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Richmond, held on to his Senate seat, beating Republican Hung Cao by about eight points.
In the 5th Congressional District, home to Louisa County and all or part of 23 other localities, state Senate John McGuire, a Republican from Goochland, defeated Democrat Gloria Witt by 15 points.
Virginia voters also overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that exempts the spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty from paying property taxes on their primary residence. The ballot measure won support from 93 percent of voters.
At the local level, voters in the towns of Louisa and Mineral elected a mix of new and familiar faces to seats on their respective town councils.
Here’s a wrap-up of how the election played out in Louisa County, starting with the town council races.
For a user-friendly breakdown of the results in Louisa County and across Virginia, check out the Virginia Public Access Project here.
Amid high drama, McGehee, Hempstead poised to win Mineral council seats
Rebecca T. “Becky” McGehee and David E. Hempstead are poised to claim seats on the Mineral Town Council.
The two seats were on the ballot as part of a special election to fill the unexpired terms of council members who resigned earlier in the year. The terms expire at the end of 2026.
One of the council members that stepped down was McGehee, who resigned in June as her husband battled cancer. The other was C. Blair Nipper, who resigned in March, citing health concerns
Like McGehee, Nipper vied for a return to council but finished third among the three candidates on the ballot. Hempstead was appointed in April to fill Nipper’s seat.
According to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, McGehee, a Louisa County native and longtime Mineral resident, got 110 votes. Hempstead, a retired construction contractor, finished second with 77 votes, and Nipper, a military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, came in third with 46 votes.
Two write-in candidates were also in the mix: JoAnna Von Arb, a real estate agent, and Robert “Bob” Spedden, an Air Force veteran who was appointed to council in July to replace McGehee but resigned two months later.
Sixty-five write-in votes were recorded in the race, per the unofficial results. At publication time, the vote tallies for Von Arb and Spedden weren’t available.
The unofficial results could change slightly as they don’t include provisional ballots. Provisionals include ballots from voters who registered to vote on Election Day as well as other ballots that require additional research to determine if their from eligible voters.
According to General Registrar Cris Watkins, there were 72 provisionals cast in the Mineral District, though it’s unclear how many came from town residents. The town is home to less than 330 of the district’s more than 4,500 registered voters.
The Louisa County Electoral Board will review provisional ballots and certify the official results on Tuesday.
The election caps a tumultuous year for council, and things don’t appear to be calming down any time soon.
Just three weeks before the election, council censured Hempstead.
In a two-page resolution, the body alleged that Hempstead has acted in a “less than professional manner,” accusing him of harassing and demeaning town staff, including the town manager, clerk and treasurer, as well as fellow council members.
The resolution also alleged that Hempstead ignored town protocol by using his personal email account to conduct public business; shared documents discussed in closed session without authorization, including paperwork that was part of a contract negotiation; and overstepped his authority as a council member, among other allegations.
Following a closed-door council meeting Thursday night, Town Clerk Stephanie Dorman informed Hempstead, via letter, that he could face more disciplinary action.
Based on a motion passed by council at the meeting, Dorman told Hempstead that council has set a “trial” for Thursday, November 21 at 6:30 pm to consider “potential disciplinary action or removal as a council member.”
The motion also authorized the mayor to “appoint a committee to collect evidence of neglect and misconduct” on part of a council member. As part of the proceeding, the committee is tasked with reporting its finding to council.
During the trial, Hempstead will have an opportunity to present evidence and “defend your position,” according to Dorman.
“You are encouraged to present any relevant evidence that supports your case, as well as call upon witnesses who can provide testimony on your behalf. This is an essential part of ensuring a fair process that upholds the values of our council,” she wrote.
In telephone interviews on Friday, Mayor Ed Jarvis and Vice Mayor Ron Chapman said that the trial would determine what action council takes, if any.
They said that council has the authority to discipline or remove a duly elected member under provisions in the town’s charter and ordinances, and under the guidance of Robert Rules of Order, the parliamentary procedure by which council conducts business.
Chapman said that the body would follow a process laid out in Robert’s Rules of Order to consider potentially removing or disciplining Hempstead as stated in the letter. He said the town’s legal counsel, Robert J. Sproul, a former assistant county attorney in Loudoun County, told council members that they have the authority to hold a closed-door hearing and to punish or expel a sitting member.
State code lays out a specific process for removing a local elected official. It includes filing a petition in circuit court signed by at least “a number of registered voters who reside within the jurisdiction of the officer equal to 10 percent of the total number of votes cast at the last election for the office that the officer holds.”
The court may remove the officer if it determines he or she committed a specific offense laid out in code, including but not limited to, “neglect of a clear, ministerial duty of the office, misuse of the office, or incompetence in the performance of the duties of the office when that neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office.”
Elected officials are required to immediately forfeit their office upon a felony conviction or if they’re convicted of certain other crimes.
In some instances, town charters specify a removal procedure that supersedes state code. In the Town of Amherst, for example, the town’s charter provides that council can “expel a member with the concurrence of two-thirds.”
That process mirrors provisions in both the Virginia and US Constitution, which permit each chamber of the General Assembly and Congress to expel a member with a two-thirds majority vote.
In 2019, Amherst’s council used the process to oust a member, according to media reports.
Mineral’s charter doesn’t lay out a removal process, however. It says that council “shall establish its own rules of order and procedure, and may punish its own members and other persons for violations thereof.”
A town ordinance adopted last year requires that council conduct business using Robert’s Rules of Order.
At publication time, Sproul hasn’t responded to an email seeking clarification on council’s authority to remove a sitting member.
In a pre-election statement to Engage Louisa, Hempstead said he was running to retain his seat to, as he put it, ensure “at least one member will try to stand up for the people of this town.”
He said that, since joining the body as an appointed member last spring, he’s been “thoroughly disgusted,” expressing frustration with what he characterized as council’s disregard for constituents and the law.
Editor’s note: Chris Guerre contributed research to this article.
New and familiar faces on track to claim seats on Louisa Town Council
An incumbent and a pair of newcomers are on track to claim the three seats up for grabs on the Louisa Town Council.
According to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, Roger W. Henry and Daniel L. Crawford won their first term on the town’s five-member governing body while Sylvia L. Rigsby was re-elected to her second term.
Henry was the top voter getter, garnering 469 votes. Rigsby was second with 448 votes and Crawford was third with 390 votes.
Jessi J. Lassiter, a two-term incumbent, finished fourth in the four-candidate field and failed to retain her seat. She received 341 votes, per the unofficial tally.
Those results don’t include provisional ballots, which the Electoral Board will review on Tuesday just before certifying the results. Watkins said on Thursday that there are only 20 provisional ballots in the Louisa 1 precinct, which includes the town and a swath of central Louisa County.
Henry is a retired small business owner who grew up in Louisa County. He told Engage Louisa prior to the election that he decided to run for council because he attended numerous meetings and realized that many of the issues facing the town are similar to what he encountered as a small business owner.
He said that council needs to prioritize economic development, including potentially hiring a staff member to focus on bringing new businesses to the town like a second grocery store and urgent care center.
Crawford, a southwest Virginia native, moved to Louisa eight years ago to work at a local funeral home. After losing a bid for council two years ago, he said neighbors recruited him to run again.
Like Henry, Crawford said the town needs to promote commercial growth, also mentioning the need for another grocery store. He added that, given the town’s growing population, he’d like to see more support for its police department.
Rigsby, a Louisa County native who works for Virginia National Bank, told Engage Louisa that she’s spent years volunteering in the community and serving in public office is another way “to give back.”
Rigsby said that, as the town grows, council needs to focus on improving its aging infrastructure.
Republicans roll in reliably red Louisa County
On a good night for Republicans across the country, the party’s candidates rolled in reliably red Louisa.
Though Harris edged Trump in Virginia by five points—a far tighter margin than expected—he cruised in the state’s more rural reaches.
Based on unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, Trump racked up 62.3 percent of the vote in Louisa to Harris’ 36.4 percent, slightly bettering his performance from 2020 when he won support from 60.7 percent of the county’s voters.
The former and future president won 13 of the county’s 14 precincts, scoring his largest victory in Jackson where he carried 74.5 percent of the vote. His only loss came in Patrick Henry 1, traditionally the most favorable precinct for Democrats, where Harris won with 54.5 percent to his 43.7 percent.
In the race for one of Virginia’s two seats in the US Senate, Kaine, the Democrat incumbent, beat Cao, his Republican challenger, by about eight points to claim a third term. But Cao rolled in Louisa--though he ran slightly behind Trump—tallying 61.6 percent of the vote to Kaine’s 38.2 percent.
In the 5th District Congressional race, McGuire, a Republican and former Navy SEAL, cruised to a 15-point win over Democrat Gloria Witt to earn his first term in Congress. McGuire tapped into his deep political roots in Louisa to outperform both Trump and Cao, racking up 64.5 percent of the vote to Witt’s 34.9 percent.
Louisa County has played a central role in McGuire’s political rise. He got his start in politics just seven years ago when he won a Louisa-anchored House of Delegates seat. His brother and staunch political ally, Rusty McGuire, has served as the county’s commonwealth’s attorney for more than a decade.
Thanks, in part, to an endorsement from Trump, McGuire knocked off incumbent Bob Good in a bitter Republican primary in June to earn the right to run in November’s election. The nomination fight splintered the party and prompted some Good loyalists to disavow the Republican nominee and encourage their fellow conservatives to write in Good.
According to unofficial results, the write-in effort failed to garner much traction. Less than 2,000 write-in votes were recorded district-wide out of about 423,500 ballots cast.
McGuire’s win sets up a special election for his 10th District state Senate seat, which will likely take place in early January just before the start of the General Assembly session.
So far, five Republicans have announced plans to run in the ruby red district, which includes most of Louisa and all or part of 10 other localities.
The candidates include: Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chair Duane Adams, who lost a spirited nomination fight to McGuire in the 10th last year; former state Senator and far-right firebrand Amanda Chase; Chase’s former aide Shayne Snavely; party activist Jean Gannon and businessman Luther Cifers.
At publication time, no Democrats have announced their candidacy.
The 10th District Republican Legislative Committee hasn’t announced how the party will choose its nominee.
Turnout drops slightly in Louisa
According to unofficial results, 75 percent of Louisa County’s registered voters cast ballots in last Tuesday’s election. Of those, about 43 percent voted in-person during Virginia’s 45-day early voting period while nearly 9 percent voted by mail.
Louisa voters turned out at a higher rate than their counterparts statewide. Per unofficial results, nearly 68 percent of the state’s registered voters participated in this year’s election.
Still, Louisa’s turnout dropped by about five percent from 2020, the last presidential election, when more than 80 percent of the county’s registered voters cast a ballot.
AWS plans 10 data centers for first phase of North Creek Technology Campus
Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) plan to develop a data center campus in central Louisa County has taken another step forward.
AWS, one of the world’s largest technology companies, filed a Joint Permit Application with the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in early October seeking permission to develop the first phase of the North Creek Technology Campus (NCTC). The USACE and DEQ permits are required because the project will permanently impact jurisdictional wetlands and other waters of the US (WOTUS).
The campus, which the board of supervisors approved for data center development last year, covers more than 1,400 acres south of Jefferson Highway (Route 33) and east of Mount Airy Road (Route 644) near the Northeast Creek Reservoir.
According to the application, the project will encompass some 374 acres just off 33 at the northern edge of the property where AWS proposes to build 10 data centers, covering 3.82 million square feet and providing a minimum of 700 megawatts (MW) of data center capacity.
The project will also include three substations, operated by Dominion Energy and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and capable of providing 900 MW of power; an administrative building with office space, meeting rooms and food service; a logistics building, a water treatment plant; rainwater harvesting ponds; and related infrastructure.
The site will be accessed via a main security entrance off 33 and include several secondary access points.
AWS says the campus is needed to “feasibly meet existing and expanding customer demand (i.e., need) for cloud-based computing and meet Amazon Data Service’s (ADS) commitments to the Commonwealth of Virginia for economic development.”
Data centers are a critical piece of 21st century infrastructure, housing servers and networking equipment that keep the internet running. Northern Virginia is the global epicenter of the industry, and Governor Glenn Youngkin and the General Assembly have encouraged data center development in other parts of the state.
Last year, Youngkin announced a deal with AWS to build data centers in more rural areas. The tech giant agreed to invest at least $35 billion in the state by 2040. In exchange, it will benefit from an incentives package that includes tax breaks and state-funded infrastructure grants.
The North Creek campus is one of two data center complexes that AWS is developing in Louisa’s Technology Overlay District, a special zoning designation approved by the board of supervisors in April 2023 that’s designed to attract lucrative tech sector development.
The other site—dubbed the Lake Anna Technology Campus (LATC)—is slated for 153 acres on the corner of Kentucky Springs Road (Route 652) and Haley Drive (Route 700) adjacent to the North Anna Nuclear Power Station.
According to a conceptual plan submitted to USACE a year ago, the campus will include seven standard data centers, covering more than 1.7 million square feet, and providing a minimum of 420 MW of data center capacity.
The company, via its contractor, Clark Construction, has begun initial site work at the Lake Anna campus. The first phase of the project includes one data center and related infrastructure.
AWS has said it intends to develop the campuses over the next 15 years and invest at least $11 billion in the facilities. County officials have hailed the campuses as a way to bulk up the tax base while only minimally impacting county services like schools and Fire and EMS.
While data center revenue can be tricky to predict, Economic Development Director Andy Wade has said that one data center could generate, on average, about $2 million in local revenue annually from real estate and business personal property taxes. He’s also said that a single facility could employ about 25 people.
In addition to state incentives, the board of supervisors last year approved a local incentives package to benefit AWS. The board set a reduced tax rate for data center equipment and agreed to provide the company with local infrastructure grants, which work in concert with state grant funding. Wade has said that any local grant money would be drawn from net new tax revenue created by the facilities.
It’s unclear how many data centers AWS plans to build at the NCTC. Wade said in an email on Wednesday that the application submitted to the Army Corps represents “phase 1” of the complex.
“There is certainly room to build more data centers on the NCTC, but currently, the County has only met with AWS to review plans for NCTC phase 1 plus plans for the LATC. Between both campus sites, the County is reviewing plans with a total of 17 data centers and onsite, accessory buildings/facilities,” he said.
Comments by other county and company officials and a preliminary buffer and landscaping plan submitted to the county last year suggest AWS’s plans for the campus are far bigger than what’s currently on the table.
Board Chair and Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams said during a meeting with state legislators last month that “at least 30 data centers” could be built in the county. An AWS official told the Planning Commission last year that the NCTC could be home to 20 to 25 facilities, calling that a conservative estimate.
A buffer and landscaping plan reviewed by commissioners last fall shows the NCTC covering about 830 acres of the 1,444-acre tract that AWS purchased last year. It shows 10 substations, capable of providing 300 MW of power each, and a new public spine road.
It’s unclear when AWS would break ground at the North Creek site. Wade said the timing of the project depends, in part, on the state and federal permitting process.
Building out the sites is also contingent on the county constructing extensive water and sewer infrastructure. The campuses will rely on raw water from the Northeast Creek Reservoir to cool the data centers.
Under a water services agreement inked between the board of supervisors and AWS last December, the county agreed to build a two-headed water pump station near the reservoir to serve the campuses, a roughly 11-mile raw water line from the reservoir to the Lake Anna site, a pair of roughly 2,000-foot raw and potable water lines to the North Creek campus as well as public sewer infrastructure for the site.
AWS will foot the bill for the infrastructure, with at least some of that cost offset by local and state grants. Louisa County and the Louisa County Water Authority will build, own, operate and maintain it.
Supervisors will hold a public hearing at their November 18 meeting to infuse $87.9 million into the Fiscal Year 2025 budget to fund the project. The infrastructure for the NCTC is expected to be complete by June 2026 while the raw water line to the LATC is expected to be finished by January 2027.
The first phase of the Lake Anna campus will rely on groundwater for cooling, but the campus will switch to public water once the infrastructure is complete.
Louisa Town Council appoints Carter as interim mayor
The Louisa Town Council on Wednesday night appointed a familiar face to temporarily serve atop town government.
In a 3-0-1 vote, council selected sitting member Arthur D. “Danny” Carter as interim mayor. A retired banker, Carter has served two stints on council, spanning nearly 25 years.
Council chose Carter over two other applicants who also have deep ties to local government: acting Mayor Jessi J. Lassiter, who’s served on council since 2017, and former council member, Mathew L. Kersey, Jr, who currently represents the Louisa District on the Louisa County Planning Commission.
Per state law, council was tasked with making the appointment after former Mayor Garland Nuckols resigned in mid-September. Carter will serve until a special election next November to fill the remainder of Nuckols’ term, which expires at the end of 2026.
“I appreciate that y’all have the confidence in me [to serve as mayor],” Carter said, after his colleagues voted to back him.
Though council includes five members, only three voted for the interim appointment. Sylvia Rigsby motioned to appoint Carter with a second from John Purcell, IV. Vicky Harte cast the third vote. Carter abstained, and Lassiter, as acting mayor, was prohibited from voting. Under the Town of Louisa’s charter, the mayor only votes when there’s a tie.
After motioning to appoint Carter, Rigsby thanked the applicants and said it was a difficult decision as each has significant experience in local government.
Harte said that she’d heard from many constituents in the week since council announced the applicants, and they’d urge her to back “one of the candidates” though she didn’t specify who.
She said she felt comfortable supporting Carter because he would provide “continuity in government”—a point Carter made in his letter of interest—but she encouraged Kersey and Lassiter to run in the special election next November. She said the election would give residents the opportunity to “elect who they want to fill [the] position.”
Town residents Roger Henry and Danny Crawford, both of whom won seats on council in last Tuesday’s General Election, were the only community members to weigh in on the appointment during the meeting.
Crawford urged the body to back Kersey, arguing that he was the most qualified for the position, in part, because of his role in county government.
Kersey served three terms on the Louisa County Board of Supervisor in the 1980s and 1990s. He’s currently a member of the county’s planning commission, an appointee of town resident and Louisa District Supervisor Manning Woodward.
“I feel that Mr. Kersey is best qualified…The reason I say that is, he’s been on council before. He’s also been on the board of supervisors. He sits on the [county] planning commission for the board of supervisors now, appointed by our supervisor, Manning Woodward. I feel that this would be a gap that could come together between the town and the county,” Crawford said.
Town and county leaders haven’t always been on the same page, particularly when it comes to residential growth. Some members of the county’s board are eager to slow the flow of new residents, noting that Louisa County has ranked as the third fastest growing locality in the state over the last three years, according to the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center.
They say that unbridled residential growth is taxing county services and growing the budget, as county government is tasked with hiring more firefighters, teachers and cops and building more schools.
Meanwhile, council has approved some 450 new residential dwellings—mostly townhomes and apartments—over the last two years. Several council members have said that there’s a dire need to diversify the housing supply in a community dominated by single-family homes that are increasingly unaffordable. They’ve also argued that newcomers to town help support small businesses and drive commercial growth.
For his part, Henry urged council to interview each applicant in open session because the appointee would serve in a position that’s typically elected.
Council instead opted to briefly interview the candidates in closed session before taking a public vote.
Carter will take over as interim mayor after he formally resigns from council. His term was set to expire at the end of the year, and he didn’t seek re-election this November.
Come January, Carter will head a new-look council. Three seats were up for grabs in Tuesday’s election. Rigsby won re-election to her seat while Henry and Crawford will be new additions to the body. Lassiter finished fourth in the four-candidate field, failing to secure a third term. (See article above for more information).
Per Louisa’s charter, the mayor is tasked with running council meetings but only votes in the event of a tie. The charter also provides that the mayor acts as the “head of town government for all ceremonial purposes, for purposes of military law, and for the service of civil processes.” The town employs a professional town manager, currently Liz Nelson, who handles administrative duties.
In a brief interview after Wednesday’s meeting, Carter said that while the mayor’s duties are mostly ceremonial, they can play a significant role in establishing “a vision” for the town.
He noted that former Mayor Charles Rosson helped lay the groundwork for transforming a historic school building into the Louisa Town Hall and Arts Center.
“It’s primarily ceremonially, [showing up for] ribbon cuttings, calling on businesses. But I always thought the mayor…works on a vision [for the town]. You don’t have any responsibilities as far as managing personnel. You really have no authority over anybody,” he said.
Carter said that he’s excited to continue serving the town in a different capacity and his years of work on council will allow him to hit the ground running.
“[It helps] having some knowledge of the infrastructure and some of the things we have going on now,” he said, adding that he has some ideas for improvements including upgrading lighting.
“On Route 208 as you come into town, you see folks walking with flashlights,” he said.
Carter also said that, given council’s approval of several large-scale residential developments over the last two years, the town needs to ensure its services keep pace with the coming growth.
When asked if he plans to seek the mayor’s office next November, Carter said he isn’t sure but he’d “certainly entertain the idea.”
Planning Commission to hold three public hearings
The Louisa County Planning Commission on Thursday night will hold three public hearings. Check out a quick preview of the hearings.
Commission to consider CUP for construction yard
The commission will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend that the board of supervisors approve JWC Enterprises, LLC/On Demand Concrete’s request for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to operate a construction yard on a five-acre parcel on the north side of Louisa Road (Route 22) at its intersection with Spotswood Trail (Route 33) in the Louisa Election District (tax map parcel 24-17-A). The property is zoned General Commercial (C-2) and currently used for automobile repair service.
In its land use application, JWC Enterprises says it intends to use the property to store sand, gravel, concrete trucks and other equipment. The parcel will also provide space to load materials on to concrete trucks.
JWC Enterprises argues that the business won’t negatively impact the neighborhood, contending its impact is similar to the existing use. The applicant also says that the business benefits the community because it supplies concrete for “schools, the county and local businesses.”
In its report, staff recommends that the CUP impose six conditions including requiring a wooded and/or fenced buffer along the roadway, submission of a landscaping plan and the use of dark-sky compliant lighting.
Planners to consider updated CUP for Bowood Barn
Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend that the board of supervisors approve a request for an updated Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a popular event venue in western Louisa County.
Bowood Barn and its owner, Mary Bland, request that the county revise and renew a CUP first issued in 2016, which allows the operation of a bed and breakfast with outdoor gatherings at 500 Tisdale Road in the Patrick Henry Election District. The facility is situated on 32.55 acres, zoned for agricultural use (A-1, A-2).
The tweaked CUP would allow Bowood Barn to continue operating a bed and breakfast and tack on special occasion facility as an additional use. It would also make minor changes to three of the CUP conditions, most notably allowing the facility to host one event a year—the Louisa County High School prom—with up to 600 attendees. Otherwise, a maximum of 250 people are permitted at events, and the facility can hold no more than 25 events per year.
Commission to consider amendments to land development regulations
Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend to the board of supervisors approval of nearly a dozen tweaks to the county’s land development regulations.
Staff says the changes are necessary to “address discrepancies, clarify regulations, ensure alignment with more stringent State and Federal regulations, update standards to reflect current practices, and make adjustments based on community needs and the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.”