BRISTOW, Va. — Neighbors in a Bristow community question why developers are trying to change the plans to construct homes near their backyards for data centers instead.
Residents such as Priscila Brueggemann just learned Stanley Martin Homes submitted a Comprehensive Plan Amendment Application for a project called Devlin Technology Park. The application, submitted in February, requests the Prince William Planning Office to change the approximately 269 acres from suburban residential low to flexible employment center for data centers.
"I'm not thrilled," Brueggemann told WUSA9. "You're putting all these data centers smack dab in the middle of subdivisions and personally if you're going to build something, build more housing."
The property sits along Chris Yung Elementary School in the Lanier Farms subdivision.
Stanley Martin had pushed for residential development for years and conducted community meetings. In early 2020, the county board finally approved a project that would construct 551 single-family homes and trails and walkways.
Neighbors opposed any development but eventually settled with the idea of a new subdivision. However, Brueggemann and other residents felt the plan to change construction came out of nowhere.
"That just throws a whole wrench in the entire system where we don't know how a data center is going to affect our property values in this area," she added.
Neighbor Cesar Cantos said he preferred a data center over homes because traffic is bad enough.
WUSA9 reached out to Stanley Martin for comment. Vice President of Land Truett Young said he could not comment immediately, but welcomes the opportunity to discuss details in the near future.
Data centers have been front and center in Prince William County, especially with the push to construct more data centers.
Controversy surrounds the “PW Digital Gateway” project, which centers around constructing new data centers in a technology corridor along Pageland Lane that will encompass the full space between Sudley Road and Route 29. The corridor lies next to Conway Robinson Memorial State Forest and the Manassas National Battlefield Park.
In response to the proposed location, the plan states that the Prince William Board of County Supervisors would coordinate a review of the space, considering native plant buffering and sustainability, in an effort to preserve as much of the area as possible.
"We're not against data centers but we are however against those things when they threaten to destroy or seriously compromise key parts of our country's history," David Duncan of American Battlefield Trust told WUSA9.
Meanwhile, supporters say the revenue is good for the economy and workforce.
Prince William County Public School Chairman At-Large Dr. Babur Lateef stressed the revenue would help fund schools.
"I'm in favor of this because it diversifies the tax base. It allows money to support the schools and decreases pressure on raising taxes on homes," Lateef said.
He noted with the existing data centers, the school system gains up to $50 million a year in revenue.