Public notice issues strike again: Prince William commission to rehear data center district proposal
The Prince William County Planning Commission will rehear a landmark proposal to significantly reduce the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District due to concerns of improper public notice. This amendment aims to eliminate by-right data center development, requiring future projects to obtain special use permits. The procedural error echoes past successful legal challenges against the PW Digital Gateway.
The Prince William County Planning Commission is set to rehear a significant proposal on September 9 to substantially reduce the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District. This decision follows the invalidation of the commission's initial July 15 public hearing due to improper public notice regarding community mailers. The proposed zoning text amendment, initiated by the Board of County Supervisors on June 9, aims to eliminate "by-right" data center development within the overlay district, mandating that all future projects secure a special use permit from the Board.
County spokesperson Nikki Brown confirmed that public notice materials failed to include all required meeting information, specifically the time and place for the Planning Commission's public hearing, necessitating a new hearing to ensure procedural integrity. The current situation mirrors previous successful legal challenges against the PW Digital Gateway, which were also based on insufficient public notice.
During the voided July 15 meeting, commissioners debated a controversial grace period before enacting the new overlay. While some advocated for no grace period or a 90-day option, others proposed a 180-day period. This point of contention highlights a division between industry supporters and opponents. The final decision on the amendment by the Board of County Supervisors is anticipated at a public hearing on September 22, 2026.