Prince William Supervisors Unanimously Vote to End By-Right Data Center Development

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors in Virginia has unanimously approved a zoning text amendment, effectively ending by-right data center development across the county. This decision mandates that nearly all future data center proposals will require a special use permit, a process involving staff review, planning commission, and board of supervisor hearings, which is expected to considerably slow down new projects.

Brentsville District Supervisor Tom Gordy-R introduced the amendment, which included a 90-day grace period for developers to submit proposals, though existing or in-process projects remain unaffected. An earlier proposal by Gainesville Supervisor George Stewart-D for no grace period failed to pass. The supervisors also discussed shrinking the existing Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District from 9,689 acres to 3,641 acres.

The need for this amendment stems from concerns regarding energy consumption, particularly in the Brentsville District. Dominion Energy's proposals for new transmission lines (Nokesville-Bristow) and the expansion of a substation on Vint Hill have met significant resistance from residents due to potential impacts on farmland and neighborhoods. A resolution for the substation expansion failed 8-0. Additionally, the overlay district's proximity to residential areas and schools prompted discussions about appropriate setbacks.