Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Centers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cross Mill data center rezoning: board records no final decision after divided votes and extensive public comment
Summary
The Board considered the Cross Mill Data Center rezoning and special‑exception requests amid extensive public comment. Multiple motions—both to deny and to approve—failed or tied; the board did not adopt a final decision and the matter remains unresolved.
In a lengthy, contested session the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors considered the Cross Mill Center rezoning (ZMAP) and special‑exception (SPEX) applications for a hyperscale data center on land near Sicklin Road and the Leesburg Executive Airport.
Public comment and local stance: The board’s public‑comment session included dozens of speakers on the application and broader data‑center policy. Speakers were deeply divided: business owners and local contractors urged approval, citing jobs and tax revenue for schools and public services; other residents and environmental and community groups urged denial, citing grid constraints, noise and air pollution from backup generators, historic and archaeological resources, and compatibility with nearby recreation and historic sites.
Board deliberations and legal limits: The board’s land‑use discussion referenced the Leesburg JLMA employment place type of the 2019 General Plan and site constraints such as slopes, floodplain near Sicklin Creek, and a homestead archaeology site. Several supervisors noted that substations serving the area are at capacity and that an off‑site substation could be necessary to serve a large data center, but legal counsel clarified that county land‑use decisions may examine on‑site and adjacent impacts rather than broader regional grid capacity, which is regulated by utilities and regional grid operators.
Motions and outcomes: A motion to deny the application (based on findings in the record) was made but failed by a recorded tally (motion failed, recorded as 5–4). A subsequent motion to approve the rezoning and SPEX was made by Supervisor Umstead and seconded by Supervisor Kirschner; after discussion that motion also failed by a 4–4–1 tally (tie with one abstention). Because neither denial nor approval carried, the board did not adopt a final decision on the application during the July 1 meeting.
Why it matters: The Cross Mill application is emblematic of broader county tensions over data‑center growth: land‑use compatibility near airports and parks, neighborhood impacts, county revenue considerations, and regional energy infrastructure limits. Supervisors expressed divergent views about whether and where data centers remain appropriate in Loudoun.
Board direction and next steps: With no final disposition, the matter remains before the board. One supervisor said she would place the item on a future agenda for further consideration; other supervisors asked that staff and the applicant provide additional details (including on stormwater, archeology, and potential off‑site electrical infrastructure) before a final vote.
Representative remarks: Supervisor Umstead, supporting approval, said the site "is in exactly the location where you want data centers" and described design and mitigation measures the applicant had offered. Supervisor Phyllis Brixman, opposing approval, said "It’s unconscionable to me that we would vote for another data center in Loudoun County," citing grid reliability and community impacts. Several supervisors said they remain concerned about substations and distribution capacity and asked staff to provide clearer off‑site infrastructure details if the applicant proceeds.
