The data center permit and eligibility review process can be even more difficult in Northern Virginia. With nearly 300 data centers, Northern Virginia has become known as “Data Center Alley.” These data centers, located in Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William counties, handle more than a third of the world's online traffic. Additionally, AI-related needs, increasing industrial and manufacturing demand, general electrification, and building out EV charging infrastructure are driving demand for more data centers.
In the face of this increased demand, Loudoun County legislators passed a new zoning permit bill in February 2024 that would remove current copyright permits in all zones and require all data center developers to apply for approval. Recommended. Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors joined Loudoun County in this pushback, directing Department of Planning and Development officials to update the county's zoning ordinance with additional regulatory guidance regarding data center development. These updates will likely change zoning regulations and create new special exception approvals for all data centers.
The proposed changes are expected to further strengthen the data center approval process. Cozen O'Connor's Virginia zoning team, led by Evan Pritchard, recently won 8-1 approval to rezone a 12-acre parcel in Fairfax County for a 402,000-square-foot, 75-megawatt data center. . Twenty-three people attended the Board of Supervisors hearing and opposed the application. However, as one of the District Supervisors stated after the hearing, “This applicant stated: [the concerns raised] By submitting a stronger offering package than any data center applicant has offered to date in this county. ”
Cozen O'Connor will alert clients and post about Fairfax's draft zoning amendment, which will be submitted to the Planning Commission in June 2024 and the Board of Supervisors for a public hearing in July 2024. It is scheduled to be submitted.