For decades, the land along Long Ferry Road just off I-85 near Salisbury has been known as former Carlton Farms. Now it is better known as the place where a national data center player might land, and where nearby residents are digging in for a fight.
A firm tied to national data center operator Edged has bought hundreds of acres there, and the deal has triggered a fast-growing neighborhood backlash. Residents have launched an online petition that has gathered thousands of signatures, along with a small GoFundMe, as they press Rowan County commissioners to pump the brakes. Neighbors say they are worried about the constant hum of generators, heavy water and power demands, and the higher electric bills they associate with massive server campuses.
Rezoning and the site plan
According to The Charlotte Observer, the property sold in November for about $174 million to EDC Charlotte LLC, an entity the paper reports is linked to Edged. The Observer also reports that Rowan County commissioners approved a conditional zoning amendment last fall that allows data center uses on nearly 400 acres along Long Ferry Road. Neighbors argue that rezoning decision opened the door to the conceptual plans that are now making the rounds in the community.
County planning records include a "Long Ferry Road" packet that outlines a phased campus with building pads, stormwater basins and buffer zones, according to Rowan County. The rezoning request, shepherded by Red Rock Developments, first drew wider scrutiny when the Rowan County Planning Board recommended changing the rules to allow data center uses, as reported by the Salisbury Post. The county packet also flags wetlands and stream buffers on the property that would need mitigation if the campus moves forward.
What the site would look like
The county materials identify several large buildings, including one pad listed at roughly 1.08 million square feet, plus multiple trailer and employee parking areas and stormwater ponds. On paper, it reads like a full-blown industrial campus unfolding in phases, not a modest one-off server room tucked behind the trees.
The map does show preserved vegetation and buffer zones, but residents say the amount of clearing and grading depicted would still dramatically reshape the rural landscape. Developer documents filed with planners show a mix of sprawling building footprints and heavy-vehicle circulation loops, a layout that nearby homeowners say looks more like a logistics hub than a quiet neighbor.
Developer footprint and neighbor pushback
On its U.S. website, Edged touts a roster of AI-ready campuses, including a 168 MW site in Atlanta, a 96 MW campus in Chicago and several other large U.S. projects the company promotes as "waterless" and highly energy efficient. The marketing copy underscores the kind of scale developers are chasing in fast-growing markets like the Charlotte region.
For many Long Ferry Road neighbors, that pitch about low-water cooling does not address their main worries about truck traffic, noise and strain on local utilities. The neighborhood petition on Change.org has drawn nearly 3,000 verified signatures and links to a GoFundMe meant to cover outreach and potential legal expenses.
At a recent public meeting, Commissioner Greg Edds tried to tamp down speculation, telling residents, "watch my lips, there is no data center deal," according to The Charlotte Observer. Many in the room were not convinced, given the recent land sale and the detailed planning packet already on file. The Observer also reported that organizers' GoFundMe had brought in roughly $1,200 for their outreach and pressure campaign.
What is next
The rezoning and site plan filings mean the property is now primed for industrial use, but actual construction would still require project-level permits and utility hookups that have to clear both county and state review. Rowan County planning files show the rezoning packet and conceptual site maps officially on record. Public hearings and permitting steps remain the next big hurdles before any dirt is turned.
Neighbors say they plan to keep turning out at commission meetings and tracking each stage of the process until they see a named operator on the project and binding conditions addressing environmental protections and traffic impacts. For now, the former farmland sits in limbo, caught between a quiet past and a very high-tech possible future.
