Quantum Park data-center zoning application sent back to work session after commissioners raise design and proffer issues

The Planning Commission on June 12 voted to forward the Quantum Park ZCPA application to a future work session after staff and commissioners identified several outstanding technical and design issues. Commissioners voted 5-2 to send the application back to the applicant for additional revisions; Commissioners Cliff Jasper and Baez Myers opposed the motion.

Why it matters: Quantum Park is a proposed data-center campus on a roughly 40.2-acre parcel north of Loudoun County Parkway (ZCPA 2020-378). Data-center projects in Loudoun have raised frequent planning questions on stormwater control, ecological impacts, building massing and the siting and screening of utility substations. The commission’s decision delays a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors while the applicant and staff work to address the listed concerns.

Staff summary of outstanding issues

Darby Metcalfe of the Department of Planning and Zoning summarized staff’s outstanding concerns. Staff told commissioners that the submission needs clearer, measurable proffer language on stormwater management (DEQ design standard commitments as measurable proffers), and requested removal or narrower commitments related to river and stream corridor encroachments that staff said conflicted with the 2019 General Plan guidance. Architectural design commitments and substation screening language were also described as subjective in the current draft and in need of specific, enforceable commitments. Staff said the applicant had proposed to dedicate right-of-way for future Lockridge Road but that the proffer language should be clarified to dedicate the expected width rather than an aspirational statement.

Applicant presentation and changes

Attorney Brian Winterhalter, representing the applicant, said the team had revised materials following the March public hearing and had focused on two areas: strengthening the “corporate campus” character with new park space and moving and screening the substation farther from Loudoun County Parkway. Winterhalter said the applicant had pushed the substation back and doubled the tree buffer in their revised plan and proposed a gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation — an enclosure-type substation the applicant said is more compact and has lower visual impacts than a typical air-insulated facility. Winterhalter emphasized the applicant’s willingness to coordinate on measurable proffers.

Commissioner concerns

- Visual and design: Commissioners expressed concern about sightlines and the appearance of a substation along Loudoun County Parkway. Commissioner Keirce said the applicant had made progress by pushing the substation farther back and adding landscaping but asked for further exploration of moving the eastern data-center building to improve the view from the Parkway.

- Proffer precision: Staff and commissioners emphasized that several current proffer statements were phrased in subjective or aspirational terms and required rewrite into specific, measurable commitments (for stormwater mitigation, substation screening and right-of-way dedication).

- Encroachment into resource buffers: Staff recommended removing unsupported encroachments into river/stream corridor resources consistent with general-plan policies.

Commission action and next steps

Commissioner Frank moved, and Commissioner Barnes seconded, to forward the Quantum Park ZCPA application to a future work session for further revisions. The motion passed 5-2 (Jasper, Myers opposed). The commission asked staff and the applicant to focus on four primary items in the follow-up work session: substation location and screening, eastern building siting and massing, proffer language that is measurable and enforceable (especially for stormwater and right-of-way dedication), and resolution of river/stream corridor and river-buffer encroachment questions.

Speakers

- Darby Metcalfe, Department of Planning and Zoning (staff presentation) - Brian Winterhalter, counsel for the applicant (applicant presentation) - Applicant’s team (engineers and designers present at the work session) - Commissioners: Frank (mover), Barnes (seconder), Jasper (opposed), Myers (opposed), Keirce (chair)

Actions

- Kind: referral/work_session motion: "I move that the Planning Commission forward Lehi U-2020-397 Quantum Park, ZCPA 2020-378 to a future work session." (motion by Commissioner Frank; seconded by Commissioner Barnes) mover: "Commissioner Frank" second: "Commissioner Barnes" vote_record:[{"member":"Frank","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Barnes","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Keirce","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Moderator","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Vice Chair Miller","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Jasper","vote":"no"},{"member":"Myers","vote":"no"}] tally:{"yes":5,"no":2,"abstain":0} outcome:"forwarded_to_work_session" notes:"Commission identified key outstanding items (stormwater, stream corridor encroachment, architectural design commitments, right-of-way language, substation screening) to be resolved in the next work session."

Clarifying_details

- {"category":"site_area","detail":"parcel_size","value":40.19,"units":"acres","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Darby Metcalfe"} - {"category":"substation_setback","detail":"applicant_reported_distance_from_face_of_curb_to_substation_wall","value":142.9,"units":"feet","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Brian Winterhalter"}

Proper_names:[{"name":"Quantum Park","type":"project"},{"name":"GIS (gas-insulated switchgear)","type":"other"},{"name":"Loudoun County Parkway","type":"location"}]

Community_relevance:{"geographies":["Broad Run District","area north of Loudoun County Parkway"],"funding_sources":[],"impact_groups":["nearby residents","commute routes" ]}

Meeting_context:{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":6,"duration_minutes":40,"items_count":1},"implementation_risk":"medium"}

Searchable_tags:["Quantum Park","ZCPA","data center","substation","stormwater","Loudoun County Parkway"]

Provenance:{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"s=6645.04-e=6678.67","local_start":0,"local_end":180,"evidence_excerpt":"Darby Metcalfe presentation of Quantum Park ZCPA and outstanding issues","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"s=8924.11-e=8934.64","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"Commission motion to forward to future work session and vote record","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

salience:{"overall":0.61,"overall_justification":"Data-center application in a county priority corridor; unresolved technical and design issues; potential visibility and environmental impacts.","impact_scope":"regional","impact_scope_justification":"Project is in a county growth corridor with regional employment and infrastructure implications." }