PITTSBORO — The Pittsboro Town Council voted 5-0 to approve a controversial rezoning ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting.
Vantage Data Centers applied for the rezoning of roughly 626 acres of Smith Family Farms from Agricultural (“Ag”) to Warehouse Industrial (“I-1”).
The property is located west of County Road 500 East between County Road 850 North and County Road 1000 North.
Vantage plans to build a large data center on the land.
After months-long public disapproval, the Town Council gave the green light to that plan Tuesday night.
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Council member Terry Northern voted in favor of the ordinance.
“I’d like to think that the worst thing that’s gonna happen is during construction there’s going to be a lot of traffic, but I think their property values are going to ultimately go up," Northern said.
Lyndsey Grimes lives across the street from the potential data center.
She disagrees with the Council’s decision.
“You sold out your community. You sold out your community and you live in town so it doesn’t bother you, until you eventually have nothing but your little tiny town and everything around it will just be warehouses," Grimes said.
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WRTV asked each council member for an interview after the meeting ended. All declined to comment.
Grimes worries the data center will now destroy the small, rural feel of her neighborhood.
“When their tax abatement's gone and they’ve emptied their building and they’ve destroyed your water, they’ve destroyed your grid, your property taxes which are already exorbitant have gone through the roof, for what? What economic value has this led to this community? Think about tomorrow, don’t think about today," she said.
