By Matt de Simone
Botetourt County officials have issued a public response to recent calls from Planning Commissioner Mark Tyson for an investigative hearing on water resources, saying the Planning Commission does not have the legal authority to independently convene such a hearing and emphasizing that long-term water planning is already handled through established state and regional processes.
The county’s July 3 media release follows Tyson’s recently published open letter to Botetourt County residents, in which he urged further examination of the potential effects of continued growth and Google’s planned data center campus on the county’s water supply.
In his letter, Tyson wrote that concerns expressed by residents about water availability prompted him to introduce a motion during the Planning Commission’s June 8 meeting to review the “degrees and probabilities of water shortages” related to future growth, the proposed data center, and other factors. The commission approved the motion on a 4-1 vote, according to Tyson, with discussion on how to proceed expected during the commission’s July 13 meeting.
According to the county, however, the June 8 action did not authorize a public hearing.
“The Commission did not endorse or authorize a public hearing, and no further action was taken,” the release states.
County officials also cited Virginia law governing planning commissions, stating that the body serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Supervisors by making recommendations on land use matters, comprehensive planning, zoning ordinance amendments, and development proposals requiring board approval. While commissioners may request information and discuss planning-related issues, the release states that the commission “does not have the legal authority to independently convene or direct public hearings.”
The county further noted that water supply planning is conducted through a regional process overseen by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and that the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA), rather than Botetourt County, is responsible for water treatment, delivery, infrastructure planning, and long-term supply management throughout the Roanoke Valley.
County officials added that additional studies conducted outside that process “would duplicate work at the expense of taxpayers and would be superseded by the state-led water studies.”
In a recent phone conversation, Tyson said his proposal is intended to answer what he described as remaining questions about future water availability rather than advocate for or against the Google project itself.
“There are more unknowns than there should be, considering how important and how transformative this data center could potentially be for the county,” Tyson remarked. “That’s why I brought the motion forward … to basically answer a lot of the questions.”
Tyson said he hopes an investigative hearing would allow planning commissioners, county officials, technical experts, and residents to discuss water-related issues in a public setting.
“I’m actually hoping that we’re okay,” Tyson explained. “If people recognize that this is a sincere effort to basically address these questions adequately and come up with answers, maybe a lot of people that are against the data center will soften their positions.”
Tyson acknowledged that he does not know what conclusions such a review would reach.
“It may be that we’re in good stead regarding the water,” he observed. “But that may not be the case at all.”
The county’s release comes as public discussion surrounding Google’s proposed data center campus continues to focus on issues including water usage, electrical infrastructure, noise, and long-term growth.
The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet July 13, when commissioners are expected to discuss whether and how to move forward with Tyson’s proposal. Tyson has said he hopes any investigative review could take place during the commission’s August meeting, although no such hearing has been formally approved.
