Data center turnabout in Prince William as planners recommen...
The Prince William County Planning Commission has recommended significant changes to data center zoning, proposing an end to by-right development and a drastic reduction of the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District. This plan, which includes a 120-day grace period, will now be reviewed by the Board of County Supervisors for a public hearing and final consideration. The aim is to require all future data center projects to obtain a special use permit.
The Prince William County Planning Commission has proposed an end to by-right data center development and a sharp reduction in the county's Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District. This significant policy shift would mandate that all future data center projects in Prince William County require a special use permit, subjecting them to Board of County Supervisors review.
The commission voted on September 10 to recommend the zoning text amendment, including a 120-day grace period for new applications. This compromise was reached after initial stalemates among the eight-member commission regarding the length of the grace period and buffer requirements. Occoquan District Commissioner Raheel Sheikh notably changed his 'no' vote to 'yes' to facilitate the compromise.
The Board of County Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public hearing on this landmark proposal during its September 22 meeting. The initiative, fast-tracked at the board's request, seeks to reshape how data centers are approved in the county. The prior July 15 deliberations by the commission on the amendment were invalidated due to concerns of improper public notice, echoing issues that led to the downfall of the PW Digital Gateway project.
The five votes in favor of the 120-day grace period came from Chair Qwendolyn Brown, Vice Chair Karla Justice, and Commissioners Michael Sherman, Brian Landrum, and Raheel Sheikh. Commissioners Chris Carroll, Blake Ross, and Mark Scheufler cast the dissenting votes.