The battle for the soul of Prince William County continues, as the residents of the once-peaceful rural crescent fear that the encroaching "industrial jungle" of data centers will transform their quiet haven into a dystopian digital wasteland.
A band of valiant activists, armed with signs and a burning passion for a world without more data centers, bravely assembled outside Bull Run Middle School in Manassas on Tuesday. They protested an open house held by Texas-based Compass Datacenters, one of the leading forces behind the diabolical PW Digital Gateway project.
Their message: "We don't trust these guys as far as we can throw a piano." And if you've ever tried to throw a piano, you know that's not very far at all.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors greenlit the general plans for the massive 2,139-acre data center development back in November. However, the residents cling to hope like a lifeline, as each project must receive rezoning approvals before breaking ground.
Local superhero and Heritage Hunt resident, Bill Wright, led the charge against the data center developers, stating, "Just because they passed the Comprehensive Plan amendment doesn't mean this is a done deal."
But residents didn't just come to the Compass open house to eat cookies and chat. They came to make their voices heard against the terrifying prospect of data centers creeping into their county like enormous, silent metal monsters.
Many of the courageous fighters expressed concerns that the data center would bring pollution, noise, and visual disturbance, transforming their once idyllic homes into what Kara Klass, a Gainesville resident and mother of two, called "an industrial jungle."
"We're going to be stuck living in this concrete wasteland, surrounded by outdated technology that will leave a permanent scar on our community," lamented Klass, probably while making an appropriately dramatic gesture.
Meanwhile, Bobbie Kelly, a concerned resident, questioned the effectiveness of the tree buffer that was supposed to shield her home from the data center's visual and auditory impacts. "They say the trees will protect us, but unless they're 150 feet tall, they won't do anything!" she exclaimed, likely while shaking her fist at the sky in frustration.
Compass' Chris Curtis, senior VP of acquisitions and development, suggested that the protestors' concerns might be based on misinformation. He offered assurances that the buildings would be well-hidden from view, nestled amongst the trees, like a shy yeti. "And we've proven through a viewshed analysis that you really won't see these buildings from any of those viewpoints," he said, with a wink.
The battle between the gallant residents and the sinister data center is far from over, with no end in sight for this epic saga of pianos, trees, and industrial jungles. As the conflict rages on, one can only hope that the brave heroes of Prince William County will stand strong, keeping their backyards free from the perils of data centers, techno-fortresses, and industrial jungles.
