Hanover Residents and Humane Society Confront Developer Over Data Center Noise and Warehouse Plans
Dozens of Hanover Residents Confront Oppidan Over Data Center and Warehouse Noise
Large crowds packed a church hall on Thursday night to confront representatives from data center developer Oppidan over a proposed project situated just feet from the Hanover Humane Society, where shelter leaders report that ongoing construction noise has already begun causing physical pain to rescue dogs. wtvr.com reported that dozens of residents attended the community forum, voicing intense frustration with the developer’s initial mitigation plans and demanding much stronger safeguards for the animals.
Humane Society Staff Detail Decibel Levels and Distressed Walks Along Shared Property Lines
Andrew Paine, who has spent nearly two decades at the Hanover Humane Society, explained to reporters that the facility’s primary dog walking trail sits directly alongside the construction zone for an already approved data center built by Oppidan Investment Company. According to reporting from wtvr.com, Paine stated that normal noise levels from the site regularly hover between 80 and 85 decibels, which crosses the threshold into sound ranges that cause physical pain to dogs. Paine noted that rescue animals arrive already traumatized from neglect, abuse, or abandonment, and rely on this quiet trail to de-stress and learn leash walking. With the active construction making the path unpeaceful, the shelter faces severe disruptions to its daily operations.
Oppidan Proposes Six-Foot Fence While Community Demands High Sound Barrier Walls
During the heated public meeting, Oppidan representatives faced sharp pushback regarding their proposed remedy of a 6-foot fence and property buffers along the shared line. Audience members and shelter representatives argued that a standard 6-foot fence is entirely inadequate for blocking heavy industrial noise and preventing distress among the animals. Althea White-Previs of the Humane Society addressed the developer directly during the forum, asking them to return with a more respectful and substantial mitigation plan before their next scheduled meeting. Axios Richmond reported that the developer agreed to discuss alternatives with the Humane Society, though a specific date for that follow-up meeting had not been finalized as of Friday.
Town Planners Review Traffic Studies and Await Revised Warehouse Proposals
Beyond the data center already under construction, Oppidan has proposed two large warehouses and a private access road that would sit close to the shelter’s back entrance and bring heavy commercial truck traffic directly past the property. Axios Richmond obtained planning documents showing that a July traffic study submitted by the developer projects 670 vehicle trips each weekday from the planned warehouses. Hanover planners urged Oppidan in a September 3 letter to shrink the warehouse within its jurisdiction, add noise protections for neighboring homes, and reconsider its traffic projections. Meanwhile, Ashland planning director Mike Craig confirmed to Axios Richmond that no noise study has been submitted for the warehouse project yet, and the town is awaiting plan revisions from Oppidan before finalizing its review.
Community Backlash Intensifies as Developer Agrees to Continue Discussions
Throughout Thursday’s forum, attendees expressed anger over the proximity of the proposed truck route to the animal shelter, with one community member shouting that a proper sound barrier wall needed to be built at least as high as nearby facility vents. Despite the tense atmosphere and direct confrontations, Oppidan representatives acknowledged the emotional nature of the issue and stated they remain open to exploring further changes to protect the shelter’s operations. The Hanover Humane Society continues to press for either a complete relocation of the proposed truck road or the construction of a permanent, professionally engineered sound and visual barrier wall.
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