Tell our Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to Strengthen Data Center Regulations!
Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors will be making two important data-center-related decisions on Tuesday, December 9. They will be (1) deciding which updated Policy Plan language to approve and (2) holding a public hearing on updating the electrical substation zoning ordinance amendment. The Board needs to hear from you on both of these issues!
Background: The Countywide Policy Plan Update
The Board held a public hearing on Tuesday, November 18 on the updated language proposed for the Countywide Policy Plan Update, but the Board deferred a decision until December 9. While this guidance document will shape Fairfax County for decades to come, key areas of the guidance, such as guidelines for data centers, falls woefully short of a forward-looking, visionary document. Board members are to be providing feedback to staff on changes they’d like to see to the Policy Plan, but no timeline was given other than “ASAP” to have that feedback provided. Now is the time to email them asking for stronger policies!
Background: The Substation Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA)
The Planning Commission (PC) held a public hearing on the (electrical) Substation ZOA and subsequently recommended updates to the Board on November 12. We urge you to ask the Board to support the PC’s strengthening of the ZOA language, and to also ask the Board to ensure that unapproved substations comply with the new zoning ordinance.
Please urge Fairfax County leaders to take the lead in strengthening our substation ZOA and crafting policy guidance that reduces carbon emissions and protects both our watersheds and our residents from the harmful impacts of data centers. Here are our recommend asks to ensure data center development does not happen at the expense of residents:
Policy Plan: Strengthen the “Land Use” element’s Data Center Criteria by adding back language from the May 2025 draft
- Data centers must strive to achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.12 or lower to promote energy efficiency. As one of the primary energy consumers in Northern Virginia, data centers must also contribute to county climate goals, finding ways to reduce emissions and ease strain on our already-constrained energy system.
- Please retain the May 2025 language to allow the option to exceed the minimum zoning ordinance distance requirements where appropriate. Comprehensive Plans are allowed to do this, but making it clear here strengthens protections for our communities.
- Data centers should endeavor to exceed minimum code requirements using site design techniques that provide water quality benefits, such as maximizing open space, tree preservation and planting, and stormwater treatment. The increasing scale of data centers will have increasing impact on land and water resources, impacting communities. Site design must mitigate these impacts from the start.
- Data centers should be located near existing energy infrastructure such as substations and transmission lines to the extent practicable. This will help minimize the need for additional energy infrastructure and, consequently higher utility rates.
Substation ZOA: Protect our residents from harmful impacts
- Support the Planning Commission’s recommendations that substations in I-5 and I-6 districts require a Special Exception (SE) when proposed directly adjacent to residential use. The original draft language moved to SE for I-3 and I-4, which we support, but we ardently oppose by-right options in I-5 and I-6 areas where the substation would be directly adjacent to homes.
- Support the Planning Commission’s recommendations that substations have a minimum setback of 200 feet from residential use.
- Please ask the Board to ensure that all unapproved substations comply with the new zoning ordinance, complete with the recommendations above. As a public facility, substations are paid for by residents. Utility providers must provide power to approved developments – they can’t take their business elsewhere as a developer could. With our communities paying and our communities most impacted, our communities deserve the safeguards this new ZOA provides.
Send a quick message asking for greater protections from data centers!
Fairfax County’s Policy Plan is a guidance document to be used for decades to come – please ask for it to be as strong as possible in protecting the residents of Fairfax County.
Click the red “START WRITING” button below to start writing. Letters are always better received by decision makers when you have added a personal touch. Customizing the (1) subject line and (2) introduction with 1-2 sentences about why you care about these issues (or other personal thoughts) will help your comments stand out.