Board forwards Arcola Grove rezoning; debate centers on enclosed GIS substation, height and buffering

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on May 14 voted to forward the Arcola Grove rezoning application and related special exception to the July 15, 2025 business meeting for action after extended staff and applicant presentations and public comment.

The application seeks a zoning map amendment for the 30.49‑acre Arcola Grove site west of Arcola Boulevard (suburban policy area) to rezone approximately 6.98 acres from RC (Retail Commercial) to Planned Development Industrial Park (PDIP), add a special exception to permit a transmission substation, increase data‑center square footage above the previously approved 614,400 square feet, and increase maximum building height. Staff raised outstanding compatibility issues related to building height, the proposed substation location adjacent to residential uses, and landscape buffer language that permits plant‑unit substitutions.

Why it matters: the proposal would enlarge the existing approved PDIP data‑center campus, add a proffered gas‑insulated (GIS) substation, and raise building heights in an area where the 2019 General Plan calls for lower heights and transitional uses adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Nearby and planned residential projects — including Arcola Town Center and an affordable housing conversion at the Old Arcola School site — were cited repeatedly in board and public remarks.

Staff presentation and outstanding issues - Darby Metcalfe, Department of Planning and Zoning, told the board the subject property totals 30.49 acres and that the application requests rezoning of about 6.98 acres to PDIP with a special exception for a transmission substation and a zoning modification to raise maximum building height from 60 feet to up to 100 feet. Metcalfe said the application proposes increasing permitted data‑center square footage above the previously approved 614,400 square feet and noted staff…