Planning Commission forwards Concord Industrial Park rezoning and buffer exceptions to Board with conditions

The Loudoun County Planning Commission voted Jan. 28 to forward the Concord Industrial Park rezoning and related special exceptions to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval, subject to the applicant’s Jan. 16 proffer statement and conditions dated Jan. 12 and the commitments the applicant offered at the hearing.

Staff told the commission the case had been heard previously and that the applicant submitted additional materials Jan. 8 and Jan. 16 to address staff comments. Erin Fisher of the Department of Planning and Zoning said the application adds two minor special exceptions to modify buffering and screening where a berm would conflict with an adjacent county‑owned stormwater management facility and associated easements. Fisher said staff has not completed review of an additional development option included in the January resubmission and asked for clearer mapping of the special‑exception boundaries so staff can complete its analysis.

At the hearing the applicant’s planner, Molly Novotny of Curata Partners, said the developer intends to relocate a storm sewer easement into the access easement to allow for planting a Type C buffer with a berm as required by ordinance; if relocation is not possible, the berm would not be planted in the easement area. Novotny said the applicant committed that the redeveloped site will use the adjacent county stormwater facility (changing proposed language from “may” to “must”) and offered to increase the proposed substation screen from 12 feet to a 15‑foot neutral‑tone screen, a change the commission included in its motion.

The Piedmont Environmental Council’s representative, Tia Erman, urged the commission to reconsider allowing additional data‑center capacity in the county and argued the proposal reduces needed flex industrial space and raises cumulative environmental concerns, citing impaired waterways (Indian Creek) and building heights she described as inappropriate for the planning district.

Commissioners debated compatibility and noted the applicant also recently developed flex industrial space nearby. After discussion about outstanding technical clarifications (special‑exception boundary mapping and the unreviewed development option), Chair Keir moved—and Commissioner Myers seconded—to forward the applications to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval based on the Jan. 16 proffer statement and the Jan. 12 conditions, and to amend the condition on the substation screen to require a minimum 15‑foot neutral‑tone screen. The motion passed with eight yes votes, zero no votes and one absence/recusal.

Next steps: the application will be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors for final action; staff said outstanding technical issues and the unreviewed development option must be resolved or clarified through the Board process or subsequent filings.