The information heart allowing and entitlement evaluation course of is likely to be getting harder in Northern Virginia. Dwelling to almost 300 information facilities, Northern Virginia has develop into often known as “Information Middle Alley.” Scattered throughout Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William counties, these information facilities deal with greater than a 3rd of the world’s on-line site visitors. And the demand for extra information facilities is rising, fueled by AI-related wants, rising industrial and manufacturing demand, basic electrification, and buildout of EV charging infrastructure.
Within the face of this rising demand, Loudoun County lawmakers really helpful a brand new zoning permission invoice in February 2024 that will take away the present by-right use permission in all zones and require all information heart builders to use for approval. Final week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors joined Loudoun County on this pushback by directing Division of Planning and Improvement workers to replace the county zoning ordinance with further regulatory steerage for information heart growth. These updates will most definitely modify the zoning laws and create new particular exception approval for all information facilities.
We count on that the proposed adjustments will add to the entitlement course of for information heart approval. Cozen O’Connor’s Virginia zoning crew, led by Evan Pritchard, lately obtained an 8-1 approval to re-zone a 12-acre parcel in Fairfax County, with an eye fixed towards a 402,000 sq. foot, 75-megawatt information heart. Twenty-three folks appeared at a public listening to earlier than the Board of Supervisors to oppose the applying. However as one of many District Supervisors famous following the listening to, “this applicant has addressed [the concerns raised] by submitting a extra strong proffer package deal than any information heart applicant has beforehand supplied on this county.”
Cozen O’Connor will alert purchasers and put up in regards to the Fairfax draft zoning modification textual content, which is anticipated to be offered to the Planning Fee in June 2024 and to the Board of Supervisors for a public listening to in July 2024.
