Virginia Beach pauses new data center permits
Virginia Beach City Council has unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on new data center permits for up to 12 months while the city develops new zoning rules. The decision was prompted by concerns from the Planning Commission regarding infrastructure, utility use, land use, and noise. Neighboring cities Chesapeake and Suffolk are also revising their data center regulations.
The Virginia Beach City Council has unanimously enacted a temporary moratorium on new data center permits, effective for up to 12 months or until a new data center ordinance is adopted. This action comes as city officials work to establish clear regulations for the location and construction of these facilities, which currently fall under generic "wholesaling, warehousing, storage, or distribution establishments" in existing zoning.
The Planning Commission initially raised concerns in April about infrastructure, utility usage, land use, and noise, prompting a request to the City Council for zoning ordinance changes. Following a briefing in June, the council directed staff to develop an amendment specifically aimed at banning large data centers. Staff proposals have included larger setbacks from residential areas, limits on facility size, mandatory sound studies, restrictions on generator testing, screening requirements, and conditional-use permits.
The city faces challenges in defining different types of data centers and establishing industry standards for setbacks and noise mitigation. Data centers are also not required to publicly report their energy or water consumption, and long-term environmental and infrastructure impact research is limited. The moratorium provides critical time for the city to study these issues and draft a comprehensive ordinance.
Virginia Beach is not alone in reassessing data center regulations. Chesapeake recently adopted a new ordinance requiring data centers to undergo a conditional-use permit process and mandates more rigorous review for facilities consuming over 100 megawatts, also prohibiting private groundwater systems. Suffolk is considering even stricter measures, with its City Council directing the Planning Commission to draft an amendment that would ban data centers across all zoning districts.