Apex (NC) Residents Speak Out at Council Meeting to Oppose Proposed Data Center; Officials Outline Long Review Timeline
Residents warn of safety, noise, and environmental risks tied to the proposed project, while town leaders stress transparency, expert review, and a months-long process before any decisions are made.
Apex, NC, Nov. 3, 2025 — Apex residents filled Town Hall last Tuesday night (10/28/25), many dressed in red shirts, to press elected leaders to slow or stop plans for a massive data-center complex proposed west of town.
Town officials, meanwhile, emphasized that the controversial New Hill Digital Campus remains months away from any decision, with additional public meetings and a joint work session already scheduled.
Manager Outlines Step-by-Step Planning Process
Town Manager Randal Vosburg opened the discussion during his regular report, responding to widespread questions about timing.
“We’ve heard a lot of chatter about when this is coming before you,” Vosburg said. “This is still several months in process.”
According to his presentation, the developer is expected to resubmit its rezoning and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) amendments on Nov. 3rd. The Technical Review Committee will evaluate the filing at its Nov. 20th meeting, followed by a joint Town Council/Planning Board work session on Jan. 22nd.
That session will be informational only; no public comments will be taken, but it will set the stage for a second neighborhood meeting in February and a possible public hearing in March.
Vosburg stressed that “the earliest” council could vote would be spring and that “the timeline is subject to change.”
Residents Warn of Safety and Environmental Risks
Speaker after speaker urged the town to treat data centers as a separate industrial category—not simply another light-industrial use.
Speaking for the Protect Wake County Coalition, a resident delivered the group’s “Rev Zero” document and requested a stand-alone zoning ordinance:
“It is not fair to have light industrial obey ordinances meant for data centers,” he said. “Nothing compares—power-wise, noise-wise, consumables, water.”
A Jordan Manors resident described the project as a public-safety gamble:
“As a native New Yorker, I remember the smoke and devastation of 9-11,” she said. “The idea that our community could face even a fraction of that kind of danger is completely unsettling.”
A Raleigh Fire Department captain with more than 30 years’ experience, thanked officials for scheduling the January work session and hiring a sound-engineering consultant, but urged deeper scrutiny:
“Within a two-mile circle of this site it’s almost all residential,” he said. “If Apex becomes a household name in America because of a disaster, that will be the end of the Peak of Good Living.”
He cited the site’s proximity to both the Apex Water Reclamation Facility and the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant as reasons to proceed cautiously.
Criticism of Advisory Board Decision-Making
One resident criticized the Environmental Advisory Board for voting on recommendations without what she called adequate data, urging Mayor Gilbert to “evaluate their passion for the job.” She agreed with board member Katie Schaaf’s earlier comments that “no number of recommendations can feasibly bring this data center here without significant harms.”
Council’s Tone: Listen First, Decide Later
Mayor Jacques Gilbert thanked the speakers for their civility and promised that their input would be part of the town’s forthcoming reviews.
“Public engagement is essential,” he said, adding that staff are already examining noise-ordinance revisions and zoning-definition updates for digital-infrastructure projects.
Council members did not debate the project, in keeping with the procedure that limits comment before formal hearings. Still, the meeting's tone made clear that public sentiment remains overwhelmingly skeptical of the 189-acre development.
Next Steps
Nov. 3rd: Developer resubmits rezoning & UDO amendments.
Nov. 20th: Technical Review Committee meeting.
Jan. 22nd, 2026: Joint Council/Planning Board work session (no public comment).
February 2026: Second neighborhood meeting.
March 2026: Earliest potential public hearing before the Planning Board and Town Council.
Town officials said updates will continue to be posted on the municipal website and shared through the Ask Apex portal.
At a Glance
Project: New Hill Digital Campus (proposed data-center complex)
Developer: Natelli Group (applicant)
Size: ≈ 189 acres, west of Apex near Friendship Road and U.S. 64
Current Status: Rezoning & UDO amendment pending—no vote expected before spring 2026
Public Opposition: Led by Protect Wake County Coalition and residents of Jordan Manors, Charleston Village, and neighboring communities
Thank you so much for writing this and keeping us updated. I’ll be at the next public meeting.