Stafford Planning Commission recommends Accokeek Center data campus, 4-3

The Stafford County Planning Commission has voted 4-3 to recommend the approval of the Accokeek Center data center campus in Falmouth, Virginia. The decision came after a lengthy public hearing that extended past midnight, during which numerous residents voiced opposition to the proposed development. The recommendation includes a rezoning with proffers and a conditional use permit for a substation associated with the project.

The 121-acre site, located west of Richmond Highway, would be rezoned from agricultural and residential to M-2 Heavy Industrial. The applicant, Falmouth Tech LLC, proposes two data center buildings totaling 590,000 square feet and a centrally located eight-acre substation with a requested load of 122 megawatts. A previous April application had proposed three buildings and a larger footprint, with the substation closer to residential areas, but was redesigned to address public and commission input.

Staff planners recommended approval, noting the project's consistency with some comprehensive-plan data center recommendations, such as its location within the Urban Services Area and proximity to an existing transmission corridor. However, staff also identified inconsistencies, including the property's future land-use map designation as mixed-use commercial and residential, and concerns about avoiding large tracts of mature forest. Opponents primarily focused on requested setback waivers, the unknown transmission route across Accokeek Creek, cooling system timing, and the land-use designation.

Despite the opposition and some commissioner concerns regarding comprehensive-plan inconsistency, unknown transmission lines, and unclear fiscal impact, the commission ultimately recommended approval. The three recommendations will now be forwarded to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors for their final consideration.