Stafford Planning Commission advances Accokeek data center project
The Stafford Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend approval of the Accokeek Center data center project, despite significant public opposition and concerns about zoning exemptions and environmental impacts. The project, which includes 590,000 square feet of data center space on 121 acres, will now move to the county Board of Supervisors for a final decision. Opponents argued against setting precedents and deviating from established setback rules.
The Stafford Planning Commission has narrowly recommended approval of the proposed Accokeek Center data center campus, advancing the project to the county Board of Supervisors for a final decision. The commission voted 4-3 on three items related to the project, despite impassioned pleas from over 50 speakers at a public hearing who largely opposed the development.
Lillian Swain, a resident of southern Stafford County, used the children's book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" as an analogy, warning the commission against granting exemptions from county regulations, fearing it could set a precedent for future developments. Other speakers raised concerns about setbacks and environmental impacts, while attorney Charlie Payne for Accokeek Center argued for a "responsible approach" to development, contrasting it with projects in Loudoun County.
While the project does not meet the county's 750-foot setback rule from homes, it conforms to a shorter, 500-foot setback that the commission recommended. Commissioner Marcus Oats noted that significant changes were made to the project between April and August, including reducing it from three buildings and an additional 100,000 square feet to two buildings totaling 590,000 square feet, partially due to public involvement. Proponents also highlighted a potential $6.4 million contribution to the county for government projects.
Commissioners Carlos Bratton and Neil Hamblin, despite expressing some reservations about the aesthetic impact of massive data centers, joined Oats and Willie Shelton Jr. in voting for the recommendation. The project entails building on 121 acres in the Falmouth District between Interstate 95 and U.S. 1.