Action On Data Center Approval Changes Delayed By Loudoun Board

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — On Wednesday, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors did not take final action on more restrictive approval standards for data centers.

The board voted 7-1-1 on Chair Phyllis Randall's motion to have staff come back on March 4 with options on a grandfathering resolution to apply the current standards to data center applications. Algonkian District Supervisor Juli Briskman voted against the proposal, and Dulles District Supervisor Matt Letourneau was not present for the vote.

The amendments before the board on Wednesday included a comprehensive plan amendment to change data centers to a conditional use in zones where they are a core use or complementary use — or by right. In addition, the zoning designations would change in the Arcola and Goose Creek Club areas, which a staff report said would not make data centers a use in those areas.

In addition, the zoning ordinance amendment proposed to the board would require special exception approval for data centers in all zoning districts that they are currently allowed by right.

Loudoun County is considered the world's data center capital, and an area of Ashburn is nicknamed Data Center Alley due to the large concentration of data centers. According to a county staff presentation, the county had 44.8 million square feet of data center development as of 44.8 million and 59.7 million square feet in the pipeline as of Dec. 1, 2024. That number of pipeline development has grown from 36 million square feet as of March 2024 and 47.3 million square feet in July 2024.

In February 2024, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare a comprehensive plan amendment and zoning ordinance amendment to update data center and substation policies and standards. The county noted that the Board of Supervisors cannot legally impose a moratorium on new data center applications. Under Virginia law, localities must consider each rezoning or special exception application.

The Loudoun County Planning Commission previously voted 5-3-1 to recommend against the widespread changes to data center approval standards. However, the planning commission had recommended the grandfathering resolution factor into applications up to the public hearing date, along with making other suggestions to the board.

The plan and zoning ordinance amendments are phase 1 of the data center standards revision process. Phase 2 will focus on updates to the county's 2019 Loudoun County General Plan addressing policies applying to data centers and substations like land use, site and building design, noise, energy, light and more as well as zoning ordinance amendments for revised standards. The county estimated phase 2 could take 14 months to complete.