Fairfax leaders to vote on new regulations that could curb data center growth

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is gearing up to vote on landmark zoning regulations for data centers, potentially making this a pivotal week for the industry’s future in the area.

The board will hold a public hearing tomorrow (Tuesday) on zoning ordinance amendments that, if approved, would bar data centers from being built by-right in commercial and medium industrial districts and remove over a dozen heavy industrial districts from potentially allowing data centers.

As directed by the board in April, staff proposed prohibiting data centers in Planned Residential Community (PRC) districts — areas designed for a mix of homes, shops, offices, and recreational spaces.

The amendment also requires developers to apply for a special exception if a data center exceeds 40,000 square feet in commercial zones (C3, C4) or 80,000 square feet in light and medium industrial zones (I-2 to I-4). Data centers in heavy industrial areas (I-5, I-6) would still be permitted by law.

Regardless of zoning, data center developers would be required to provide an attractive facade and submit a noise study before and after construction.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the revised ordinance last month, adding conditions that extend the minimum distance from Metro stops for data centers from half a mile to a full mile and require a 500-foot setback for unenclosed equipment.

It’s unclear how many commercial and industrial areas where data centers are allowed would breach the 500-foot neighborhood setback threshold. By FFXnow’s count, the county has 16 heavy industrial zoned parcels within a mile radius of a Metro station, including three in Tysons, five in Franconia, and eight in Reston.

According to county records, four applications have been submitted for data centers, three in the Floris neighborhood just south of Herndon along Route 28.

The only pending application that could be affected by the proposed distance restrictions is one from Starwood Capital Group, which is seeking to replace the Plaza 500 office building at 6295 Edsall Road on the Alexandria border adjacent to Bren Mar Park with a 461,244-square-foot data center. A substation to power the facility would replace the existing parking lot, per an unapproved site plan.

Starwood didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A county spokesperson told FFXnow that all four applications are still in review and haven’t received approval for a special exception, rezoning or site plan.

In anticipation of the Board of Supervisors vote, residents and homeowners’ association representatives who live near the Plaza 500 site argued at a press conference last Wednesday (July 10) that more community input is needed on data center proposals in areas where they’re allowed by right near residential neighborhoods and public areas, such as parks and schools.

Ridges at Edsall Homeowners’ Association President Tim Pendergrass said that, while he’s not outright opposed to data centers, he’s concerned about negative impacts on residential neighborhoods.

“I certainly understand the need for data centers…just as I understand the need for airports and train stations,” he said. “But I’m keenly aware that none of these belong in residential neighborhoods nor butting residential neighborhoods. Data centers are the annoying neighbors who bring noise, light disturbance, pollution, emissions, and neighborhood blight 24 hours a day. In addition to the assault of our senses, they bring a huge negative effect to our property values.”

In a letter to the Board of Supervisors, the residents and HOA representatives expressed support for the planning commission’s recommended regulations. However, they also demanded that all data center developments get a special exception, requiring each application to be approved individually by the supervisors.

“We call upon the board to not allow by-right data centers,” Pendergrass said. “We must require special exceptions for all data centers, especially those adjacent to residential districts.”

It is difficult to predict whether the new regulations will curb data center development in Fairfax. Josh Levi, president of the Loudoun County-based Data Center Coalition, believes that if approved, they “may limit” interest, resulting in fewer potential projects.

“The proposed guidelines, which were amended by the Planning Commission, are fairly prescriptive and suggest a relatively narrow aperture in terms of the number of developable parcels and the design aspects the County may consider for data center projects,” he told FFXnow.

Map via Google Maps