Shenandoah County moves forward with data center ordinance
The Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a data center ordinance, despite residents' calls for a temporary moratorium on future projects. The ordinance aims to regulate data center development through special use permits and includes requirements for water use, noise, setbacks, and environmental impacts. Many residents expressed concerns about protecting the county's agricultural heritage.
The Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors in Virginia unanimously voted 6-0 to adopt a proposed data center ordinance, rejecting pleas from residents for a temporary moratorium on new data center projects. Community members voiced concerns at the meeting about the potential for data centers to negatively impact the Shenandoah Valley and its agricultural heritage.
District 2 supervisor Steve Baker explained that the ordinance is crucial for the county to have local regulations in place, preventing uncontrolled development witnessed in other counties. He emphasized the need for a special use permit requirement to have oversight on data center locations and their adherence to local standards. The new zoning text amendment will mandate special use permits for data centers and includes provisions addressing water use, noise levels, setbacks, environmental impacts, and public input. Residents remain concerned about the protection of the county's agricultural heritage.