IFN Staff

The Statesville Planning Department has recommended approval of the rezoning request for a large data center proposed for 255 Stamey Farm Road in western Iredell County.

Compass Data Centers, a company that develops and operates data center facilities across the U.S., wants to construct five buildings on 350 acres between Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 70. A data center houses computer systems, servers, storage devices, and network equipment used for storing, processing, and distributing data.

The proposed site, which is owned by the Stamey family, is located in Iredell County and is zoned for residential-agricultural and highway business uses. Compass is requesting that the City of Statesville rezone the property for light Industrial-conditional zoning and annex it.

A community meeting held at the Statesville Civic Center earlier this month attracted about 70 residents. The attendees raised myriad concerns, including demands on local utilities, sound and light pollution, and environmental and traffic impacts.

The rezoning request is scheduled to be considered by the Statesville Planning Board during its regular meeting on Tuesday, August 26. The meeting, which starts at 6 p.m., will be held in City Hall. The Planning Board will review the request and make a non-binding recommendation to the Statesville City Council.

The City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Compass Data Centers project and vote on the rezoning and annexation requests on Monday, September 15.

The Plan

According to plans filed with the City of Statesville, Compass Data Centers wants to construct up to five buildings of approximately 270,000 square feet each with 40 backup generators per building. A substation will be constructed on the site for electrical service, which will be provided by Duke Energy. In addition, a temporary concrete batch plant may be located on the property during construction. Once construction is completed, each building would house 20 to 40 employees.

In addition to meeting other city requirements, the applicant has agreed to:

♦ Limit property uses to data centers, warehouse, mini warehouses, public utility uses, temporary batch plant, outdoor storage as an accessory use, general office, parking, and parks and playgrounds;

♦ Require Traffic Impact Analysis to be performed for City of Statesville review and permitting; and

♦ Increase property line buffer from 30 to 50 feet with additional proportional landscaping at adjacent parcels with existing residential structures.

This project is not associated with a recently withdrawn request to build a large data center near Mooresville.

Staff Review & Recommendation

The city’s professional planning staff, in a report provided to the Planning Board, has recommended approval of the rezoning request.

In the 2045 Land Development Plan, the area was projected as Activity Center or Employment Center/Industrial Flex, which includes business parks, corporate campuses, flex space, manufacturing, distribution, and other industrial uses, staff noted in the report. 

The 2045 Iredell County Horizons Plan also projects this area as Employment Center Industrial/Flex Space/Office, which allows manufacturing, warehouses, office, and assembly with retail as secondary uses, staff added.

The Stamey Farm property is not located within a Farmland Preservation District.

In support of its recommendation, staff also noted that “the concept plan and conditions offered by the applicant provide large buffers and an expanse of undeveloped land between the proposed structures and adjoining properties, the primary entrance is in close proximity to I-40 and the interchange and a data center is a less intensive use regarding traffic than a distribution center or retail development.”