Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors Adopts Data Center Regulation Implementation Plan, Declines Additional Site Assessments

Spotsylvania County officials have moved forward with plans to implement state regulations for High Energy Use Facilities (HEUFs), which encompass data centers. During a recent meeting, the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors voted 6-0 to adopt Option No. 2 regarding House Bill 153, a state law that will take effect on July 1. This bill mandates that counties require HEUF applicants to examine sound impacts on residential areas and schools within 500 feet, and also requires electric utilities to provide details on substations and anticipated transmission voltage for serving HEUFs. The board opted to bundle these necessary revisions into a larger update to the county's zoning ordinance, which is scheduled for next spring. This decision allows the county to incorporate the new state requirements within its existing regulatory framework rather than creating a standalone amendment. Additionally, the supervisors chose not to pursue optional site assessments on ground and surface water resources, agricultural resources, parks, historic sites, and farmland. Their rationale was that the county's current ordinance, which does not permit by-right data center development, is already more stringent than these optional regulations.