In-Depth Understanding of Smart Growth with Ashley Studholme

On this episode of Audacious NIMBY, we sit down with Ashley Studholme, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance.

Ashley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon. Before joining the Prince William Conservation Alliance in 2020, she spent a decade in the Ecuadorian Andes leading water resource management projects and researching high-altitude tropical ecosystems. With training in both the natural and social sciences, Ashley brings a collaborative, interdisciplinary perspective to solving today’s complex environmental challenges.

Ashley joins us for an in-depth conversation about what smart growth really means and how it differs from the kind of development that leaves communities with more traffic, strained infrastructure, and diminished natural resources. We explore watershed protection, land conservation, responsible planning, and why preserving Prince William County’s natural assets is essential to its long-term prosperity.

Rather than framing growth and conservation as opposing forces, we discuss how they can work together to create a shared vision for Prince William County, one that balances economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and a high quality of life.

If we want to leave the next generation a Prince William County that is even more beautiful, resilient, and livable than the one we inherited, it starts with conversations like this one.

We all remember the moment the Death Star exploded. Everyone celebrated. The good guys had won.

But the evil empire was not finished.

Prince William County came so close to finally getting on the right track. People in Loudoun actually called me and asked, “Is Prince William County, the poster child for corruption and disastrous development decisions, really going to stop both data center sprawl and housing sprawl in the same month?”

We were so close.

Then two supervisors stepped in and ushered in what I call the Age of Assemblages.

Two developers donated more than $320,000 to two candidates, one Republican and one Democrat—an unholy alliance.

One of our supposed stalwarts for protecting the Rural Crescent suddenly shifted and declared that she had “never worked harder” on a project than she did to place 2,700 homes on Featherbed Lane. Then came the audacity to call bulldozing 12 homes and replacing them with 2,700 homes “redevelopment” and “reinvestment.”

This episode of Audacious NIMBY uncovers how the empire struck back, how Prince William County snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and why we apparently cannot have nice things.

On a side note, I love my life. I am of sound mind. My brake lines are in excellent condition.

Enjoy this shocking new episode: The Empire Strikes Back.

Dominion Energy came before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors with a warning: approve this substation or expect unpredictable blackouts. Read that again. The utility that serves one of the largest data center markets on Earth just admitted the grid cannot keep up with what PWC has already approved.

So what is the Board doing about it? On Tuesday, July 7th, they take up a new Comprehensive Plan Amendment for a data center project that doubles the Digital Gateway. Combined with what is already in the pipeline, that puts an additional 44 million square feet of data centers on a grid Dominion says is failing today.

In this episode of Audacious Nimby, we break down:

What Dominion actually told the Board about blackouts and brownouts, and why it matters for every ratepayer in Northern Virginia

The Vint Hill substation fight and the 5-2 deferral

Tuesday's hearing on the Dulles South project, nearly 1,930 acres, is almost triple the county's entire existing data center footprint

Who pays for the grid buildout (hint: it is not the data centers)

What you can do before Tuesday's hearing

If you live in Prince William County, Loudoun, Fauquier, or anywhere on the Dominion grid, this affects your power bill and your reliability. Watch, share, and show up July 7th.

Subscribe to Audacious Nimby for land use, data centers, and rural preservation coverage in Northern Virginia.

#princewilliamcounty #datacenters #blackout #boardofsupervisors

THIS IS THE FIGHT. The next 60 days will determine what Prince William County looks like for generations. Two massive development threats are coming before the Board of Supervisors — and if we lose either one, there's no going back.

🏭 JUNE — Another massive data center is maybe heading to the Board of Supervisors. More industrialization. More strain on our community. Same story, different day.

🌿 JULY — The Catharpin Valley hearing. Developers want to bulldoze one of the last rural stretches in the county and pack in 1,200 to 2,700 dwellings on a small country road with ZERO infrastructure in place. If this passes, it sets a precedent that never gets undone. Pandora's Box opens — and it never closes.

We need to show up. Pack the Board of Supervisors meetings. Submit public comments. Bring your neighbors. Get media's attention. This is what we've been fighting for.

📢 SHARE this video with everyone who cares about Prince William County.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Audacious Nimby for ongoing coverage of development fights across our community.

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — are you showing up to fight?

#princewilliamcounty #NIMBY #audaciousnimby #CatharpinValley #datacenters #SaveOurCommunity #LocalGovernment #LandUse #urbansprawl #Virginia #BoardOfSupervisors #StopOverdevelopment #CommunityFight #VALocal #northernvirginiahomes #CatharpinValley, #princewilliamcountyva #princewilliamcounty #nimby , #NOTE #northernvirginiarealestate #sprawl

Prince William County sits at the center of the largest data center expansion in the world — but behind the promises of economic growth lies a story few people have heard.

After residents in the Greater Oak community reported relentless noise inside their homes, the county launched what may be the most comprehensive data center noise study ever conducted.

Over two years.

More than $1 million spent.

Two of the nation’s leading acoustical experts brought in to investigate.

The results were shocking.

But what happened after the findings were released raises even bigger questions about government accountability, industry influence, and the growing backlash against hyperscale data centers across America.

In this episode of Audacious NIMBY, we break down:

• The real impacts of data center noise on nearby communities

• What the experts discovered

• How county officials and industry leaders responded

• Why residents say they’ve been ignored

• And why communities nationwide are beginning to fight back

This isn’t just a story about noise.

It’s a story about power, corruption, politics, and who pays the price for the digital economy.

https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/a-straight-middle-finger-prince-william-data-center-advisory-group-sounds-off-over-noise-ordinance/article_ffadc0a1-9183-4391-8fe6-c7e5aab018cd.html

#DataCenters #PrinceWilliamCounty #NIMBY #NorthernVirginia #DataCenter #CommunityImpact #Technology #Infrastructure #NoisePollution

What does it actually look like to build a community the right way?

In this episode of Audacious NIMBY, we dive into the legacy of Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, and explore how one city chose a different path. While much of America chased sprawl and short-term growth, Charleston focused on something deeper. Beauty. Walkability. Strong neighborhoods. A real sense of place.

We unpack the principles behind Charleston’s transformation and what other cities can learn today. From tackling affordable housing to investing in parks, reviving Main Street, and pushing back against endless suburban expansion, this conversation goes beyond theory and into real-world impact.

We also take on big questions.

Can you grow without losing your identity?

Is sprawl inevitable or a choice?

Do we want or need data centers?

What role do art and design play in everyday life?

And what happens when communities take control of their future instead of letting it drift?

This is not just a story about Charleston. It is a blueprint for anyone who cares about building places worth living in.

Join us for a thoughtful and ambitious conversation about how cities can be better.

What happens when ordinary people take on one of the most powerful industries in the world… and win?

This is the untold story of the Digital Gateway in Prince William County—a project that would have become the largest data center complex on the planet. Backed by massive money, powerful interests, and behind-the-scenes deals, it seemed unstoppable.

Until the community fought back.

In this podcast, we break down how it all began, how it gained momentum, and how a group of determined residents organized, exposed what was really happening, and challenged a system stacked against them.

We’ll dive into:

Allegations of corruption and backroom influence

The role of money and power in shaping local decisions

The strategies that turned the tide

And how a modern-day David stood up to Goliath—and prevailed

This isn’t just a local story. It’s a blueprint for what happens when people refuse to be ignored.

#GoliathHasFallen

A new mega AI data center, “Cosmos”, has just been filed in Catharpin, Virginia, and it’s unlike anything the region has seen. Think gas turbines, sprawling power lines, and diesel generators—all proposed next to homes and a national park.

In Episode 8 of Audacious NIMBY, we dive into what may become the defining land use battle of the year.

This episode covers the major coalition event hosted by Audacious NIMBY, alongside the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, PWCA, and CABSA, as well as the swearing-in ceremony of Supervisor Lacroix in the Woodbridge District—a moment signaling that political winds are shifting.

🔥 Prince William County is now ground zero for data center sprawl.

⚡ Communities are organizing—and pushing back.

🏛️ New leadership may change everything.

Is “Cosmos” the future of AI infrastructure… or the tipping point for a community fight?

🔥 New Episode: Audacious NIMBY 🔥

We cannot say no to any development… apparently.

In our most explosive episode yet, we break down last week’s Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting — and this one had everything:

⚡ Drama

⚡ Visions being declared

⚡ A flag firmly planted

⚡ Condescending comments from board members

⚡ The “King of Yes” officially crowned

And if that wasn’t enough… the Woodbridge election just made national news.

If you enjoy political drama, big personalities, and the kind of moments that only happen in Prince William County, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.

🎙️ Tune in and stay audacious.

#AudaciousNIMBY #PrinceWilliamCounty #LocalPolitics #NIMBY #northernvirginia

Also Join us Monday at Sweeney Barn for a community meeting: https://audaciousnimby.com/event-16-march-2026-community-conversation-where-are-we-headed/

In Prince William County, something unusual is happening. Large-scale land assemblages are taking place across thousands of acres in the western part of the county. Assemblages are typically when developers combine multiple properties into one large tract for development. But what’s raising eyebrows here is who is organizing them.

In many cases, current or former politicians are involved in offering contracts to homeowners, with offers reportedly reaching $500,000 per acre to sell their land. The goal? Bulldozing existing homes and rural properties to make way for large housing developments or data centers.

This isn’t traditional redevelopment of existing urban areas. Instead, it’s the potential transformation of vast rural landscapes into large-scale development projects. In this episode, we discuss what these assemblages mean for western Prince William County, why they’re happening now, and what the long-term implications could be for residents, landowners, and the future of the region.