Fauquier County Adopts New Restrictions on Data Center Construction
The Fauquier County Board of Supervisors approved new restrictions on data center construction, eliminating by-right zoning and limiting facilities to a single county zone. The changes reflect growing opposition to data center expansion in Northern Virginia, including nearby Loudoun County.
The Fauquier County Board of Supervisors adopted new restrictions on data center construction, ending countywide by-right approval and requiring new facilities to receive special discretionary permits. The rules also limit data centers to a single zoning district; previously, they could be built by right in business parks throughout the county.
The changes come amid a broader backlash against data center development in Northern Virginia. Fauquier County is located south of Loudoun County, a major global data center hub whose facilities have generated substantial tax revenue, but Loudoun has also recently moved away from by-right zoning for data centers.