Hunting Hawk Proposal Advances to Hanover Planning Commission

Updated 12/23/25: See the bottom of the article for an update on how many people will be allowed to speak and how to register to speak at the public hearing.

HHHunt has submitted an updated conceptual plan and proffer documents to Hanover County. Their application for zoning changes goes before the Hanover Planning Commission on January 15, 2026. This is the step in the process where the planning department reviews the plan and hears public input. If they decide they have enough information, it can be sent to the Board of Supervisors for a vote in February.

How do I support Hanover and represent Henrico at this planning commission meeting?

Attend the rally before the meeting. Friends of Hanover is hosting a rally with speakers and media. We probably won’t all be able to speak or even fit into the meeting room, but we can still show county officials that we care and we mean business.

• 5:30PM, outside the Hanover County Administration Building
• Wear red
• Consider talking to the media about your concerns

Hanover Planning Commission Meeting

• 6PM, Hanover County Administration Building Boardroom
• Wear red
• Speaking time is limited by the Hanover County Code, but your presence sends a strong message.

What do I need to know about the updated proposal?

There is an updated Conceptual Plan with maps and images. A redlined Voluntary Proffer document (i.e., binding commitments made by the developer as part of the application process) shows how those offers have changed since the original application. You can also review an updated traffic study.

If you like to have all the details, the first two documents aren’t lengthy or technical and are worth your time.

If you just want the highlights:

• HHHunt has removed their request for a waste water treatment facility, but have retained the need for a pumping station to deliver sewage to drain fields.
• Supporting uses: they did NOT eliminate power generation, thus leaving that open as a future possibility.
• They have proposed the use of either air or closed loop liquid cooling (vs public or private potable water). There is no information about the specifics of either type of system provided in the proffer.
• The noise from each building and the project in total must comply with Hanover noise ordinance, which is substandard compared to what is required of data centers in Henrico County and the TOD in Goochland. There are no proffers for ongoing noise studies after the first thirty days for each data center building’s ready date.
• The 300 backup generators will be Tier 4, the highest efficiency available at the time of installation.
• It’s unclear whether testing of backup generators will be subject to noise ordinance. Emergency use is not subject to noise ordinance.
• Testing of backup generators is limited to the hours of 7AM-7PM Monday-Saturday. Goochland TOD limited testing from 10AM-5PM and no more than two hours per day as scheduled and published on a website with forty-eight hour notice of changes. They also prohibit generator usage outside of testing and defined emergency usage.
• The buffers (natural or landscaped spaces) between developed space and roads/property lines are smaller than those required in Henrico and Goochland (and possibly in other technology parks in Hanover). There is an area adjacent to The Dominion Club Golf course where the buffer is only 100 feet.
• Building setbacks from Ashland Road and property lines have been increased by fifty feet.
• Parapet (solid wall) screening on top of buildings for generators and fans is not subject to height restrictions, rendering the 62′ height limit they are requesting in the special exemption request useless.
• There is conflicting information about whether perimeter fencing will be installed inside or outside of the buffers.
• A sum of $1.3M will be contributed to Hanover County toward intersection improvement project(s) at the intersection of Ashland Road and Pouncey Tract Road and/or road widening project(s) along Ashland Road. Property will be ceded to the county for entrance turning lanes.
• An owners association or similar arrangement will be put in place in the event of multiple owners/tenants to provide for project completion and maintenance of common spaces.

The time to fight this is now. Wear red and attend the Friends of Hanover rally on January 15 before the Planning Commission meeting. Then stay for the planning commission meeting!

How will the public hearing work and how do I sign up?

Due to the amount of public interest in this case, the Planning Commission Chair has amended the rules for the public hearing to extend the amount of time for those wishing to speak in opposition to the proposed development from 15 minutes to 90 minutes. 

those wishing to address the Commission at the public hearing must register to speak online in advance and speakers who are residents of or who own property in Hanover County will be allowed to speak first. Registration to speak at the public hearing will open on January 9, 2026 at 9 a.m. and will remain open until all speaker slots are filled.

30 slots will be allotted to speakers on each side (proponents and opponents) with 25 slots allotted to speakers who are residents of or who own property in Hanover County and 5 slots will be allotted for speakers from outside of Hanover County. Each speaker will have 3 minutes. All those wishing to speak in person at the public hearing on this case must register below.

Due to the limited number of speaker slots available, groups of people who have the same views – particularly those from outside of Hanover County – are encouraged to designate a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. To read instructions on how to sign up and access the sign up link go to the Hanover County Website.

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