In the two previous articles, we looked at  2010 and the 2026 Comprehensive Plans of Botetourt County. I was so overwhelmed by the impudence of the 2026 plan that I didn’t have energy to comment much upon it. Well, I’m back, I’m angry, and I’ve learned some new context. 

Envision 2045

“Envision 2045” is, even for a comprehensive plan, a strange, ridiculous, and sinister document. At 354 pages, it is three and a half times as large as its predecessor. Despite its length and considerably more florid language, it purports to be the production of Botetourt County itself. Even the more modest 2010 plan admitted outside draftsmanship–in that case, by the “Renaissance Planning Group”–but this one, we are to believe, is a local confection. Fat chance. Every comprehensive plan contains vomitous prattle, but I defy you to find a Botetourt resident who “envisions a future…where social equity is woven into the fabric of our urban and rural landscapes.” 

In the Botetourt I know, “urban” is a cuss word. 

The pattern in Botetourt heretofore, has been to draft a plan consonant with the wishes of residents, and then to energetically transgress its every promise. In 2010 for instance, the Board of Supervisors knew that residents hated strip malls and so committed to ensure “that zoning and parking standards discourage strip commercial shopping centers.” Next they built strip malls. 

This time around they merely note without reflection that “commercial strip development is prevalent and is likely to remain the primary commercial development type in Botetourt.” Observe that the passive construction of the language here removes all agency. I’ll fix that for you: “The Board of Supervisors has made commercial strip development prevalent, plans to keep it that way, and you and your environment can go to the devil.”

The impertinence of the 2026 plan should not convince us that the Board of Supervisors is just being honest for a change. However far they tell us they intend to go, I expect them to go farther. The clue is found on the 10th page: “the Comprehensive Plan is not an enforceable ordinance.” That is a lie, but it is also a signal that they do not feel bound by anything in the plan, and a taunt that there’s nothing you can do about it. 

Lies or not, what does the document say? Broadly, what is the plan? I see three related priorities repeated through its pages: 1. Rapid industrialization and urbanization of Botetourt; 2. Increased entanglement with economic development authorities, local and regional; and 3. Construction of subsidized, multi-family housing. 

The Board seems well satisfied with its hideous development of Daleville, Gateway Crossing, and Greenfield. With a note of celebration the plan announces: 

“Botetourt will merge the two existing [urban development areas], Daleville Town Center area and the Gateway Crossing area to provide a singular, seamless [urban development area] that acknowledges the growth along the 220 corridor.”

The board is eager to repeat these development “successes,” the plan calling for the location of multiple new industrial parks, while noting that “to date” most development has been in the south of the county. I suspect that they’d like to push industrialization north, but they know that they have an obstacle: 

“Private wells and septic systems are not adequate to serve most commercial, industrial, or multi-family projects.”

Is this the context necessary to understand the data center agreement? Did they sell land to Google so cheaply, and commit themselves so deeply to water infrastructure improvements, as a step towards industrializing and urbanizing the north of the county, (and in this way recouping some of their losses)?

This is speculative, but it would make the one-sided deal with Google intelligible at least. What is the inducement for the other two goals?

A New Vampire Pimp Emerges

To answer that, we need to take a step back. Recall that all of the Va. Code Title 15.2 public-private partnerships can be simply understood as “vampire pimps.” The Water Authority, for instance, was given management of our water and permitted by statute to market (pimp) it to “any unit, or any person” (any vampire). It can team up with other Title 15.2 pimps, like the Roanoke Economic Development Authority and the Botetourt Economic Authority for larger efforts, but if it really wants to do some trafficking, it will look to the regional partnerships (panderships) or commissions. 

We’ve noticed the Roanoke Regional Partnership before in its advertisement of Gary Larrowe’s idiotic remark that, with the data center deal, “Botetourt County just won the Super Bowl of Economic Development,” but it seems there’s an even bigger pimp in town, the “Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC).” What’s this thing? From the RVARC’s “2025-2029 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy”: 

“The RVARC member governments include the Counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke; the Cities of Covington, Roanoke, and Salem; and the Towns of Clifton Forge and Vinton. Franklin County and the Town of Rocky Mount are joint members in RVARC and West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC) and are represented in the WPPDC’s CEDS. The RVARC board is comprised of elected and appointed representatives from each city and county in the region and includes liaison representation from the region’s Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Workforce Development Board, Community Colleges, and regional economic development organizations.”

What has it been doing?

“On January 25, 2007, the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC)…called for the development of a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the Roanoke Valley Alleghany region and for the pursuit of the region’s designation as an Economic Development District by the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA)…In January 2017, the EDA designated the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Region an Economic Development District (EDD). This designation enhances the region’s ability to obtain grants from EDA…The designation creates more opportunities to work with EDA and its Federal partners such as HUD, EPA, ARC, and FHWA.”

This framework is a nightmare. In the first half of the 20th century and before, to keep tabs on local government, you would need only attend board of supervisors meetings. These were strictly public (no closed hearings and no NDAs) and occurred once a month or less. That was manageable. Under the current framework, numerous government functions have been farmed out to pimp authorities, partnerships, and commissions, each of which has its own deliberative process. Public officials are involved, but these things are not truly under political control or political scrutiny. With the multiplication of centers of control, transparency is a practical impossibility; no individual employed citizen could keep up with so many meetings. Moreover, that these things are organized in order to obtain federal grants is worrisome, since grants frequently come with strings. 

I wonder if the term “fascist” isn’t inserted into popular political dialogue as a kind of misdirection. When we’re occupied with whether a given policy of the Trump Administration is “fascist,” we’ve lost sight of the complex and comprehensive interweaving of corporate and governmental power, i.e. the fascist structure of even local and regional governance: 

“A majority of the Strategy Committee members [of the RVARC] work in the private sector and represent large and small employers. The Strategy Committee is comprised of 36 voting members representing the local governments, several major employers, small businesses, workforce development, regional economic development, higher education, and minority groups [including the NAACP].”

I return to my contention that the 1950 Revision of the Virginia Code engineered the death of public sovereignty. Corporations, authorities, partnerships, and commissions, were given a seat at the government table denied to ordinary people: 

“Private sector participation has been a vital component of the development of the CEDS strategy. Encouraging the participation of the regional business community will continue to be a focus as the Strategy Committee pursues specific projects and initiatives.”

But, the RVARC worries, corporate integration with, and control of, local government may be inadequate, noting a lack “of cohesion and partnerships between business, government, and organizations,” and urging more fascism: 

“Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships: 

• Form regional task forces consisting of government officials, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups to address shared challenges. 

• Collaborate with local companies to fund community-focused initiatives like workforce housing or public transit improvements.”

What are the RVARC’s other concerns? It’s quite interested in the developments around 220: 

“U.S. Highway 220 is a crucial north-south route connecting the Alleghany Highlands, the Roanoke metropolitan area, and points south…Interstate 81 and U.S. 220 are designated as Corridors of Statewide Significance and are growth corridors for population and business throughout the region…Regarding the potential Fincastle bypass and the connection from Tinker Mountain to Commons Parkway: the Appalachian Trail is a barrier. There are truly no viable projects that do not promote widening U.S. 220.”

And RVARC lists among the “strengths” of the region “Housing growth in Botetourt County.” Possibly Botetourt agricultural land is the solution to certain identified regional “weaknesses”: 

“Limited regional real estate to attract large projects, with most sites being under 100 acres, and limited greenfield development opportunities…Recognize housing as a component of regional economic growth. Consider refocusing from urban to more suburban and rural housing types and choices…highlight the need for affordable housing solutions…There is a projected deficit of 5,324 units.”

Botetourt, do you fancy the addition of 5,324 subsidized housing units to your county? As for industry: 

“Nine target industries have been identified by the Roanoke Regional Partnership for the region [including]…Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation Manufacturing, Life Sciences…Technology & Innovation…and Foreign Investment. The Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation has identified…Key Industries: Advanced Manufacturing, Data Centers & Back Office Operations…Information Technology…

1. Advanced Manufacturing Expansion Opportunity: Leverage the region’s strategic location and existing manufacturing base to attract advanced manufacturing industries. Focus Areas: 

• Aerospace components, automotive parts, and precision instruments. 

• Integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence, to modernize production facilities. 

2. Growth in Life Sciences and Biotechnology Opportunity: Build on existing assets like the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Focus Areas: 

• Research and development in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and genetic engineering.

3. Clean Energy and Sustainability Industries Opportunity: Capitalize on the growing demand for renewable energy and sustainability-focused industries. Focus Areas: 

• Solar and wind energy production and storage systems. 

Enhance Utility Systems: 

• Collaborate with utility providers to upgrade water and sewer systems, ensuring reliable service during disruptions.” 

It is striking how well Botetourt’s new Comprehensive Plan dovetails with that of RVARC. 

Roanoke’s Orbit

Now we can profitably return to an earlier question: Why is the Botetourt Comprehensive Plan so focused on industrialization, subsidized housing, and regional partnerships? Are these things in the interest of Botetourt residents? Certainly not, but Botetourt–through this regional commission, and by means of the promise of federal grant money–has been pulled into the orbit of Roanoke, and Roanoke, I’m sure, is happy to use Botetourt and other counties for its own relief. 

To my mind, this Regional Commission creates unacceptable conflicts of interest. When last you voted for a supervisor, did you imagine that they would share their decision-making power with elected officials from other counties, or with unelected heads of corporations–or expect the whole lot to set local policy in order to maximize receipt of federal grants? Doesn’t Botetourt deserve leadership that will look after its own people?

Also in this series: 

The 2026 Comprehensive Plan: Bend Over

The Botetourt Data Center, The Planning Commission, and Broken Promises

The Botetourt Data Center: Vampire Pimps

The Botetourt Data Center: The Legacy of Fascism

The Botetourt Data Center & the Lie of Freedom

If It’s Not Love, Then It’s the Data Center That Will Bring Us Together

The Botetourt Data Center: A Bad Deal with a Scammy Cherry on Top

The Botetourt Data Center, The Water Authority, and an Invitation to Corruption 

The Botetourt Data Center: Bilious Corporate Prerogative

The Botetourt Data Center: Don’t Fear the Hamster Kaiju

Follow these groups for more information:

Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance

Botetourt Conservatives and Independent Thinkers