Front Royal Made the Right Decision. Now It's Time to Invest in Our Future.
Last night, the Town of Front Royal held one of the most significant public hearings our community has seen in years.
For more than five hours, residents filled the room to discuss a proposed zoning text amendment related to data centers. The amendment itself was intended to establish standards and regulations should data center proposals come before the town in the future.
What followed was a powerful display of community engagement.
Citizen after citizen stood before Town Council and shared their concerns. They spoke about quality of life, infrastructure, water resources, community character, tourism, property values, and the future of Front Royal.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Vice Mayor Amber Veitenthal made a motion to deny the text amendment, establish an immediate moratorium on data center applications, and direct staff to return within 60 days with an ordinance prohibiting data centers within the Town of Front Royal.
The motion passed, and passed unanimously.
I believe Town Council made the right decision and I believe that the Board of Supervisors should walk the same path.
My Position Has Not Changed
As many know, I ran for Warren County Board of Supervisors in 2025. During that campaign, I made my position clear.
I do not believe data centers belong in Warren County.
I do not believe they belong in Front Royal.
That position has not changed.
This is not because I am opposed to economic development. Quite the opposite.
I strongly support economic development.
I support business growth.
I support job creation.
I support investment.
What I do not support is pursuing growth that conflicts with the very assets that make our community special.
Not every industry is the right fit for every community.
A mountain town at the northern gateway to the Shenandoah Valley should not be trying to become the next technology corridor of Northern Virginia.
We should be doubling down on the assets we already have.
Last Night Was About More Than Data Centers
What stood out to me most was not the final vote.
It was the message being delivered by residents.
People were not simply speaking against something.
They were speaking in favor of something.
They were speaking in favor of preserving our quality of life.
They were speaking in favor of protecting our natural resources.
They were speaking in favor of maintaining the character of our community.
They were speaking in favor of ensuring that future generations inherit the same Front Royal and Warren County that so many of us have grown to love.
That conversation matters.
Because ultimately, this debate is not about buildings.
It is about identity.
It is about deciding what kind of place we want to become.
Quality of Life Is Economic Development
For decades, communities have measured economic development almost exclusively through the lens of recruitment.
Recruit more businesses.
Recruit more employers.
Recruit more investment.
Those things are important.
But the communities that are winning today understand something else.
Quality of life is economic development.
People increasingly choose where they want to live first and where they want to work second.
Businesses follow talent.
Entrepreneurs follow opportunity.
Visitors become residents.
Residents become investors.
The communities that thrive are the communities that protect and enhance the qualities that make them unique.
Front Royal and Warren County already possess something many communities spend decades trying to create.
We have an authentic sense of place.
We have mountains, rivers, trails, scenic drives, outdoor recreation, small-town charm, local businesses, history, agriculture, and a pace of life that many people are actively searching for.
Those assets have value.
They deserve investment.
Tourism Is Not a Backup Plan
One of the frustrations I often hear is that tourism is somehow viewed as secondary to traditional economic development.
I disagree.
Tourism is one of the most powerful economic engines available to communities like ours.
Visitors spend money in restaurants.
They stay in hotels.
They shop in local stores.
They buy gas.
They attend events.
They support local attractions.
They generate tax revenue.
Most importantly, they do all of that without requiring the same level of public services that permanent residential growth often demands.
Tourism is not a backup plan.
Tourism is an industry.
And in a destination community like Warren County, it should be treated as one.
Now We Must Invest in the Right Future
If we are going to say no to data centers, then we must also say yes to something else.
We must say yes to investing in the future we actually want.
That means investing in tourism.
That means investing in destination development.
That means investing in recreation.
That means investing in placemaking.
That means investing in events.
That means investing in trails, parks, river access, wayfinding, downtown experiences, and visitor infrastructure.
It means creating policies that support tourism growth.
It means gathering better data.
It means building stronger partnerships.
It means putting the right people in place to execute a long-term vision.
You cannot simply oppose one opportunity without actively pursuing another.
The communities that succeed are the ones that make intentional choices and then commit to executing those choices.
Warren County Should Follow the Town's Lead
Last night's decision should not end the conversation.
It should begin a larger one.
The concerns expressed by residents do not suddenly disappear at the town limits.
The same questions that were raised about Front Royal apply throughout Warren County.
What kind of growth do we want?
What industries align with our long-term vision?
How do we protect our natural assets while growing our economy?
How do we ensure future generations inherit a community that is even stronger than the one we enjoy today?
Warren County has a text amendment AND an actual application for a data center in the pathway.
I believe county leaders should seriously consider following the Town of Front Royal's lead.
The Opportunity in Front of Us
I left watching last night's meeting encouraged.
Not because of the outcome alone.
But because so many people cared enough to show up.
They cared enough to speak.
They cared enough to participate.
That is how communities shape their future.
Front Royal made a statement last night.
The statement was not simply that data centers are not the right fit.
The statement was that our community values its identity, its character, its natural beauty, and its quality of life.
Now comes the harder part.
We must invest in the future we say we want.
We must invest in the tools, the people, the policies, and the vision necessary to grow a tourism economy that reflects who we are.
Because protecting what makes Warren County and Front Royal special is only half the job.
The other half is building an economy around it.
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