Chesterfield launches data center website amid transparency demands

TL;DR: Chesterfield County launched a data center informational website on July 23, 2026, to address months of resident demands for transparency about Google's proposed $9 billion investment in multiple hyperscale data center campuses across the county.

The story

Chesterfield County launched a dedicated data center informational website on July 23, 2026, marking the county's most direct response yet to months of resident demands for transparency about the massive wave of hyperscale data center development reshaping eastern Chesterfield.

The website comes after sustained pressure from residents and advocacy groups frustrated by years of secrecy surrounding Google's plans. The most contentious issue: a 2018 non-disclosure agreement between Chesterfield's Economic Development Authority and Google (operating under the shell company name "Peanut LLC") that prevented the county from publicly disclosing Google's involvement until August 2025, years after the company began quietly purchasing land across the county starting in 2020. In June 2025, the Board of Supervisors publicly expressed regret that the NDA had prevented them from sharing details sooner.

Google plans to invest more than $9 billion in three major data center campuses, totaling more than 1,500 acres and including 11 hyperscale data center buildings. The largest campus, at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road, spans approximately 307 acres with three data center buildings of 285,282 square feet each. Additional data center facilities are being developed by Colorado-based Tract and Irish company Chirisa, bringing the total to eight proposed data center projects across the county.

The new website addresses the specific transparency concerns residents raised. It includes an expandable project status table listing all eight data centers with addresses, zoning status, building counts, and maximum water usage limits. County officials also posted detailed information on tax revenue (approximately $4.2 to $4.3 million annually per $1 billion in development), water usage (cumulative Google usage representing less than 8 percent of county water capacity), electricity demand, noise restrictions, lighting limitations, and wastewater management. The site includes project maps, planning documents, FAQ sections, and downloadable zoning agreements.

The launch came one day after a July 22, 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting at which Data Center Defiance Central Virginia presented a petition with over 2,500 signatures. The petition explicitly called on Chesterfield to stop signing non-disclosure agreements for future data center projects and demanded greater community engagement during early planning phases rather than years after development decisions are finalized.

Residents' transparency push highlighted environmental and infrastructure concerns that were obscured during years of secrecy. Google's largest Chesterfield project alone involves removal of 1.54 linear miles of stream and 18 acres of wetlands. Water usage projections have proven contentious: a proposed Google data center in nearby Botetourt County was initially estimated to use 1 to 2 million gallons of water daily but later revised upward to 11 to 12 million gallons daily, fueling resident fears that Chesterfield's water projections may also be underestimated.

County officials have framed data center development as part of a broader tax base diversification strategy. Chesterfield historically developed as a bedroom community for Richmond, leaving it disproportionately reliant on residential real estate tax revenue. Supervisors have described Google as the "gold standard" or "Rolls-Royce of data center operators," signaling satisfaction with the developer selection and indicating strategic advantage from the county's location on major fiber networks connecting to Virginia Beach submarine cable landing stations.

Not all residents welcomed the county's data center expansion, and legal challenges have already stalled some projects. The Chesterfield Board of Zoning Appeals has faced three lawsuits alleging violations of state law in its review of data center site plan applications, and the board previously denied appeals for at least one proposed campus. While some residents view the projects as beneficial for tax revenue and economic development, others remain skeptical about the long-term environmental and infrastructure impacts of rapid hyperscale data center expansion.

Key players

• Google (Alphabet Inc.): Primary data center developer planning $9 billion investment in three major campuses
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: County governing body overseeing data center approvals and transparency initiatives
• Data Center Defiance Central Virginia: Resident advocacy group that collected 2,500+ petition signatures calling for transparency and end to NDAs
• Tract (Colorado-based developer): Secondary data center developer in Chesterfield
• Chirisa (Irish company): Secondary data center developer in Chesterfield

Key dates

• 2026-07-22: Data Center Defiance Central Virginia presented 2,500+ signature petition at Board of Supervisors meeting calling for end to NDAs
• 2026-07-23: Chesterfield County launches data center informational website

Why it matters: The data center boom will reshape eastern Chesterfield's landscape and infrastructure while generating significant tax revenue, but residents' ability to understand and influence development has been severely constrained by years of non-disclosure agreements. The new website represents a step toward transparency, though residents argue such openness should have come far earlier in the planning process.

Places

• Meadowville Technology Park
• 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road

Related links

• Chesterfield County Data Centers Information Page
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Agendas and Minutes
• VPM: Google's $9B Bet on Chesterfield Data Center Campuses

Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield Data Center →

Sources

• Chesterfield launches data center website amid transparency demands
• Data centers in Chesterfield County: What you need to know
• Google's $9B bet on Chesterfield data center campuses
• Chesterfield residents call for more transparency on Google data centers
• Chesterfield County Data Centers Information Page