The Art of the Long View
It has been said that, “to plant a tree is an act of faith in the future.” The leaders of Botetourt County figuratively planted a tree and proclaimed their faith in the future when they decided in the mid-1990s to purchase 923 acres at the headwaters of Tinker Creek, in the county’s Amsterdam area. Their intention was to develop a business park.
It was a decision that was not greeted with universal acclaim. After all, it was indeed located at the headwaters of Tinker Creek! The area boasted prehistoric findings dating to the Cambrian period; it was an important hunting ground for Native Americans. In the mid-1700s, it was home to dozens of enslaved persons who supported a flourishing commercial, agricultural, and educational center called Greenfield. Greenfield was the home of William Preston, Colonel of the Virginia Militia and the Continental Army.
To top that off, the site was an area of stunning beauty, ringed by mountains, softened by meadows, and sustained by bold streams.
Why on earth would a local government want to mess with that?
The answer is “faith in the future.”
Annie Dillard, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, metaphorically envisioned the future when she wrote, upon viewing the flow of Tinker Creek, “I look up the creek and here it comes, the future… if you look up the creek in any weather, your spirit fills, and you are saying, with an exulting rise of the lungs, ‘Here it comes!’”
The future.
Despite controversy and well-intended opposition – it was one of the most robustly debated county issues in memory at the time – county leadership embraced the future and proceeded with purchasing the 923 acres, insistent that, as one county supervisor declared, “If we are going to do this, we are going to do it right.”
And they did “do it right,” as successive Botetourt administrators and supervisors continued to do, maintaining lofty standards and being highly selective with the companies invited to locate at Botetourt Center at Greenfield.
During the economic downturn of the early 2000s, few companies were considering new facilities; thus, there was little activity at Greenfield. As a result, many were the demands on county officials to “sell it, unload that turkey!” But the officials stood firm, confident in practicing the Art of the Long View.
The result today is a flourishing commerce park that hosts five thriving companies and that accounts for more than a million dollars annually in tax revenue. It statutorily protects Botetourt’s beauty and treasured history. Importantly, it is a foil to what would have occurred had the 923 acres gone on the open market: residential development indifferent to the grandeur of the land and dismissive of the finances of the county.
Now, 30 years after declaring its manifest confidence in the future, Botetourt County welcomes Google to Greenfield. A crowning achievement, this ushers in a new era of global competitiveness for the Roanoke Valley. It catalyzes countless spin-off business opportunities for the region. And it confirms Virginia’s claim as the ”Data Center Capital of the World.”
Interestingly, Google’s arrival demands a refocusing of the Long View. It is a tap on the shoulder for county officials to contemplate newly unlocked, far-reaching opportunities scarcely imaginable today, but hurtling toward us at breakneck speed.
The Future.
Here it comes.
Steve Clinton
Daleville
Blue Ridge Supervisor writes about data center
Folks in Botetourt County have been very clear about what they expect from their Board of Supervisors, and I’m proud to represent the Blue Ridge District. You have told us to work hard to keep taxes low, not over-develop the county, and provide top-notch public services.
I agree with these priorities 100%; however, these goals often clash. It is tough to keep taxes low and still provide great services, especially when we need a certain amount of development to generate revenue. Usually, a county like ours has to choose two out of those three priorities.
That is why the proposed data center at the Botetourt Center at Greenfield is such a great fit for Botetourt. It is not every day we find a project that aligns with all of our priorities; fortunately, this project does.
This facility will bring in significant tax revenue, helping fund the county services you rely on, without asking local taxpayers to pay more. This project will not have a large amount of employees and should not create the need to build new schools to support the effort. However, I do realize we need to update schools, and this project may provide a way to fund those needs.
With the data center campus concept, it is expected there would be more than one building; however, each building will need additional investments from the company and will in turn provide additional revenues for the county. And with each building, there will be a need to add more employees; however, it will be slower growth than with one large production facility with a thousand or more employees all at once.
Now, I know there are concerns about data centers, especially with how many have popped up in Northern Virginia. But, there is a difference in having a data center here versus other parts of the Commonwealth. The difference – in places like that, they have put these facilities right next to schools, neighborhoods, and previous battlefields. That is not the case here. Greenfield is the perfect spot for a project like this. It is already zoned for industrial and data center use. It will also be located in the heart of our industrial development.
If you visit Greenfield’s industrial park today, you will see it is already home to manufacturing plants working on everything from auto parts to heavy-duty equipment. And the minute you leave the park, you are back in the beautiful landscapes of Botetourt – with stunning views of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains.
This is all part of a plan our county leaders put in place more than 30 years ago. They made sure Greenfield was set up for industry, with infrastructure and zoning in place to attract businesses. Back in the day, the word “data center” probably did not even exist. Thanks to their foresight, we’ve seen millions in investments focused in one area, and now this new project will utilize and add value to the success of Greenfield without adding more traffic.
As a lifelong conservative and proud supporter of President Donald Trump who, during his first days back in the White House, announced private sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for artificial intelligence (and data centers) during his term as president. This project in Botetourt is in line with the goals of the White House. This is why this private investment in Botetourt is such a big deal because it can be considered part of a larger goal.
As one of your leaders, I feel strongly that we need to seize this opportunity to protect our county from over-taxation and uncontrolled growth, so we can keep Botetourt’s unique character for years to come. This project will provide non-citizen dollars to assist with funding schools, local government operations and first responders. This is a way to finance the best service available and have someone else pay for them.
If you have any questions about this new project, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to me. My door is always open.
Walter Michael, Blue Ridge District
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors
