Residents oppose Digital Gateway appeal

Residents and the American Battlefield Trust have petitioned the Virginia Supreme Court to deny an appeal from QTS Data Centers, which aims to revive the Digital Gateway data center project situated near Manassas National Battlefield Park. The dispute stems from a March 31 ruling by the Court of Appeals of Virginia, which found that Prince William County violated state public notice laws and its own zoning ordinances when approving rezonings for the proposed data center corridor in December 2023. This ruling rendered the rezonings, which would permit over 22 million square feet of data center development, legally invalid.

Opponents argue that the county's public advertisements for the December 12 hearings did not meet required notice timelines under state law and county zoning rules, with rezoning documents not being available until after the first two ads had run. Developer-side attorneys reportedly advised the county to proceed with the hearing despite these issues. QTS Data Centers contends that the rezonings were improperly invalidated over "technical" notice violations. The company has highlighted the project's potential for investment, job creation, and tax revenue for Prince William County.

The Supreme Court case is significant beyond the Digital Gateway, as its decision could clarify the stringency with which local governments across Virginia must adhere to zoning notice laws for large-scale rezonings. The legal battle originated from two separate lawsuits challenging the Digital Gateway rezonings: one from the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and residents, and another from residents Katy Burke, Liam Burke, and the American Battlefield Trust. A Prince William County Circuit Court judge initially voided the rezonings in the first case, while the second case was dismissed before being reversed by the Court of Appeals.