Culpeper County’s Technology Zone is redefining what responsible data center growth looks like. In this interview, Culpeper’s Economic Development Director and DataBank’s Public Policy Lead discuss how collaboration, planning, and community engagement can align technology investment with local values.
As data centers face growing public scrutiny, the Culpeper Technology Zone (CTZ) in Virginia stands out as a model for responsible, community-driven growth. In this discussion, Bryan Rothamel, Economic Development Director for Culpeper County, and Antonia Passalacqua, DataBank’s Public Policy Lead, explore how strategic planning, transparency, and local engagement can help data centers and communities thrive together.
What You’ll Learn:
How the Culpeper Technology Zone was designed to centralize growth and maximize community benefit
What “responsible growth” means in practice—and how Culpeper is balancing progress with preservation
Why DataBank chose Culpeper as a place to invest and grow responsibly
How public-private collaboration is helping ensure data center development supports residents and small businesses
What other counties can learn from Culpeper’s success as a model for sustainable technology investment
Featuring:
Bryan Rothamel, Economic Development Director, Culpeper County
Antonia Passalacqua, Public Policy Lead, DataBank
Culpeper County, Virginia, and DataBank demonstrate how strategic planning and authentic partnership can drive economic growth while addressing community concerns about data center development.
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Discover the DataBank Difference today:
Hybrid infrastructure solutions with boundless edge reach and a human touch.
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