Council isolates and adopts data-center rules after debate

Council members debated whether to take the data-center supplemental regulations out of the larger ordinance and vote on them separately. Several members cited environmental and infrastructure concerns—water consumption, wastewater, and local impacts—and sought guardrails before permitting such facilities by right.

After discussion, the council voted to remove the data-center sections from the omnibus ordinance for separate consideration and then immediately adopted the data-center supplemental regulations (sections identified by staff as 36.2-407.3 with related use-table and appendix changes). The clerk's roll call recorded unanimous approval of the adoption. "We will clarify that only applies to the changes to data centers," planning staff said as council narrowed which sections applied. The item passed on the council floor; the adopted language will be processed administratively and implemented by planning staff.