County officials in North Carolina have given the green light for a rezoning request, potentially paving the way for a data center development.

As reported by WRAL and the Henderson Dispatch, the Vance County board of commissioners voted 6-1 this week to approve the rezoning of land that could be used to develop a data center.

Natelli Investments is looking to rezone a 40-acre parcel near Henderson on US-158 Business, between Pine Meadow Trail and Horseshoe Bend Road, from Employment and Institutional to Light Industrial.

The company has not yet detailed its plans for the site, but local press reports it could be a data center campus. Natelli’s final plans for the site will have to go through permitting with the county.

The Vance County planning board unanimously approved the rezoning request in March. The county board delayed making a decision at its April 6 meeting.

Henderson is a city in North Carolina and the county seat of Vance County, close to the state’s northern border with Virginia.

More than 100 people reportedly attended this week’s meeting. Local press noted numerous people have spoken at the county meetings where the project was discussed, with most against the development if it is a data center.

A Change.org petition against the project has more than 620 signatures at time of writing.

“The construction of a new data center in Henderson, North Carolina threatens our community's environment, resources, and overall quality of life,” the petition states. “While the economic benefits are touted by proponents, the long-term impacts could be detrimental to our region.”

A separate petition, calling for a county-wide one-year moratorium on data centers, has garnered 370 signatures at time of writing. The petition calls for a pause on development while the county introduces new policies relating to data center standards and restrictions.

“We insist that no data centers be approved, especially in areas immediately adjacent to homes and churches, until a comprehensive county ordinance is in place and full transparency is provided to the public,” the petition states.

Little information about Natelli Investments LLC is available online. It is linked to Natelli Communities, a developer of residential and commercial property that operates in the southeast US.

Natelli had previously proposed a 250MW data center campus in Apex, a North Carolina town some 60 miles south of Henderson. The company withdrew its application for the project last month, in the wake of opposition from local residents and the government.