Halifax County Manager Dia Denton said now that the Quiet Data Centers Halifax land sale has closed, the company will begin preparing the site and working through the necessary items in advance of construction.

In response to questions submitted by rrspin.com earlier this week, she said, “We do believe there is an opportunity for QDCH to make meaningful investments in the community. Staff will research potential options and bring recommendations back to the board for consideration.”

She said, however, “It is important to remember that a community benefits agreement is not a requirement of QDCH, nor is it a requirement of any company locating in Halifax County. Historically, Halifax County has experienced strong community collaboration from companies that have invested and located here.”

She said the most significant and lasting investment in the community comes through expanding the tax base. “With the property being sold to a company that will make a minimum taxable investment of $250 million, Halifax County could see an estimated $1.75 million in additional property tax revenue each year. For a Tier 1 county, that represents a substantial investment and provides additional resources to support the services we provide to our citizens.”

Counties, created by the state of North Carolina, exist to provide services to the county as a whole — not to financially support individual people or individual communities. “Our focus must remain on ‘we, not me.’”

While the county population has declined, the need for services — and the cost of providing those services — has continued to increase.

She said North Carolina counties are responsible for funding a wide range of essential services and programs, including the following:

County Board of Elections

Public libraries

Public safety, including 911, EMS, the sheriff’s office, and the jail

Parks and recreation

Building inspections

Local funding for public health and DSS

Local funding for Halifax Community College and the three school systems

The N.C. Forest Service

Local fire departments

Court service facilities

Other essential services

“The additional tax revenue generated by this investment will help the county meet the growing cost of providing these services to our residents,” Denton said. “Residents who also live within corporate limits of a city or town pay municipal taxes for an additional layer of services.”

The county manager said she believes considering a moratorium is a wise move by the commissioners, who will conduct a legislative hearing in October on the matter. “The QDCH project is unique because it was an economic development project that involved the sale of county-owned property located in a Heavy Industrial zoning district — an area specifically established to accommodate uses such as a data center.”

She said the county has only a handful of Heavy Industrial and Light Industrial districts. “The moratorium will afford staff time to research and develop proposed language for the board's consideration to preserve the intention of other zoning districts and safeguard residences, schools, churches, and other sensitive uses from potential impacts associated with data centers or similar developments.”

The goal will be to revise the zoning ordinance, as appropriate, to address data centers, artificial intelligence facilities, and other related uses while maintaining a balanced approach to economic development and protecting the quality of life in the county. “Our responsibility is to be thoughtful about future development, protect our residents and communities, and continue pursuing opportunities that strengthen Halifax County as a whole.”