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Board backs Phase 2 of data‑center standards project, clarifies transition‑area limits
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved a project plan to advance a second phase of data‑center policy and zoning updates, directing staff to include a clear policy that data centers should not encroach into the transition policy area outside specified place types.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 16 authorized staff to begin Phase 2 of a multi-step effort to update county policy and zoning for data centers, focusing on standards for substations, on‑site power generation, noise, and compatibility measures.
Phase 2 will produce text amendments to the 2019 General Plan and to the zoning ordinance; staff told the board the scope does not include remapping or a countywide rezoning component. The proposed schedule anticipates completion in 2026, with a potential final board action by December 2026, though staff cautioned that added work or delays could extend the timeline into 2027.
At the board’s request, staff will add a policy statement to the plan clarifying that data centers should not be permitted to encroach into the county’s Transition Policy Area (TPA) except within the Transition Light Industrial and Transition Industrial (Mineral Extraction) place types. Supervisors described the change as a clear policy line that would make it harder to site data centers in otherwise residential‑transition areas.
The Phase 2 scope includes possible policy and zoning revisions on the following topics: - Definitions and siting standards for substations and accessory utility infrastructure; - Standards for on‑site power generation and battery‑energy systems; - Noise, lighting, screening and parking standards targeted at data‑center operations; and - Clarification and relocation of guidance (footnotes) from Phase 1 into the zoning ordinance for clarity.
Advisory inputs: The Planning Commission and the Technical Land Use Advisory Committee (TLAC) reviewed the Phase 2 scope and generally supported the approach, emphasizing visual and noise impacts while urging that new rules not unintentionally block positive redevelopment or place onerous restrictions on existing facilities. At the board meeting, several supervisors asked staff to consider building‑certification alternatives (for example, Green Building Initiative standards alongside LEED), and asked that some technical studies, such as noise analysis, remain focused on data‑center operations rather than a countywide template.
The motion to advance the Phase 2 project plan passed 8‑0‑1 on the record, with Supervisor Amy Umstead recorded as opposing in the transcript comments; staff summarized the official vote as passed. The board directed staff to proceed under the approved scope and return with draft amendments, stakeholder engagement plans and a timeline of public meetings and work sessions.
Next steps: Staff will begin stakeholder outreach and drafting proposed amendments. The board may schedule work sessions or forums to review draft language and technical studies before a formal public hearing process.
