It proposes rezoning farmland, sparking mixed feelings among residents.
IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — Less than a week after a proposal to build a data center on Teresa Earnhardt’s property was withdrawn, another data center project is being floated in Iredell County. This time, the proposal is looking at land in Statesville.
The early-stage plan calls for rezoning hundreds of acres of farmland along Stamey Farm Road to allow for five data center buildings, according to information shared at a community meeting Thursday night.
“This is huge,” said Iredell County resident Lynne Taylor. “We’re going to take gorgeous farmland, hurry up the process to rezone it for industrial instead of using existing industrial here in Statesville.”
Some neighbors said they were surprised to learn of the plan. Others are more open to the idea, arguing it may be better than other potential developments.
“This is a neighborhood, a community. We’re sad to see farming go away, but we understand it’s time for change,” resident Freda Alford said. “We’d rather see that than big houses or an industrial park.”
The project is not connected to the earlier data center proposal involving Earnhardt’s land, which was pulled after pushback from residents.
The Statesville Planning Board is expected to review the rezoning request at its August 26 meeting, per images shared at the Thursday meeting.
Contact Walker Lawson at wlawson@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.