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Data Center Standards & Locations
On February 6, 2024, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors directed staff to move forward with a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) and an associated Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOAM) to update the policies and standards for data center and electrical substation uses.
The Project Plan for Data Center Standards and Locations (CPAM-2024-0001 and ZMAP-2024-0001) will move forward in two concurrent phases:
Phase 1
Phase 1 which will focus on proposed map and text amendments to the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan and the Loudoun Zoning Ordinance, is currently underway and will take approximately 12 months to complete.
Proposed Comprehensive Plan Text Amendments
- Make data centers a conditional use in the following place types where data centers are currently identified as a core use:
- Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction.
- Transition Light Industrial, Transition Industrial/Mineral Extraction.
- Leesburg Joint Land Management Area (JLMA) Industrial Mineral Extraction Place Types.
- Make data centers a conditional use in the following place types where data centers are currently identified as a complementary use:
- Leesburg JLMA Employment Place Type.
Proposed Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment
- Evaluate prior data center approvals that don’t comply with the Comprehensive Plan and identify potential place type boundary adjustments.
- This work does not propose entirely new area(s) for data centers, but proposed amendments to existing place type boundaries.
Proposed Zoning Amendments:
- Designate data centers as a Special Exception use in all zoning districts where they are currently permitted by right:
- Industrial Park
- General Industry
- Mineral Resources /Heavy Industry.
- Do not allow data centers in other zoning districts.
- Note: Zoning map changes are not associated with this project.
Public Comments
Members of the public may provide comments to the Department of Planning and Zoning and/or the Board of Supervisors concerning this project. The Board of Supervisors encourages people to sign up to speak during the Board’s public comment periods at business meetings and public hearings.
Phase 2
Phase 2 will focus on establishing policy guidance and use-specific zoning standards for data centers and utility substations to address concerns related to land use, compatibility, aesthetics, infrastructure and natural and environmental resources. Phase 2 is expected to take approximately 14 months to complete.
Revisions to other maps, policies and text will be included as needed within the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance for consistency.
Meeting Documents and Video
- Department of Planning and Zoning Work Plan (PDF) presented at the Board of Supervisors' April 16, 2024,meeting.
- View video of the discussion at the February 6, 2024 Board meeting.
- Review information about this CPAM in LandMARC, Loudoun County's online land management system
- Review Board of Supervisors meeting agendas and documents.
- View live and archived video of meetings.
Phase 1 Timeline
- February 6, 2024: Board of Supervisors approval of project plan
- Now - July 2, 2024: Staff is researching and drafting proposed text and map amendments
- July 2, 2024: Staff presents draft text and map amendments to Board of Supervisors for consideration of a resolution of intent to amend the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
- Fall 2024: Planning Commission work session and public hearing
- December 2024: Board of Supervisors public hearing
- Jan - Feb 2025: Board work session and public hearing