Tag: data centers
Massive energy use by data centers could lead to higher electric bills
Energy demand is soaring in Virginia due to the boom in data centers, and that could result in higher utility bills for residential customers, according to a report released Dec. 9 by the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC). An independent forecast commissioned by JLARC found that “unconstrained demand for power in … Continued
Community urged to oppose huge power lines for a data center
Bren Mar Park community representatives are urging their residents to come out in force to a Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) hearing this Thursday on Dominion Energy’s application for the Edsall substation and transmission lines.
Supervisors pass zoning ordinance on data centers
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a zoning ordinance on Sept. 10 regulating the development of data centers.
Supervisors to vote on data centers
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ upcoming vote on data centers, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10, could have huge consequences on the future of Mason District and the rest of the county.
Board delays decision on data centers
A Board of Supervisors again delayed a decision on data centers, this time because the staff failed to follow the requirements for public notification.
Community speaks out against Plaza 500 data center
Days before the Board of Supervisors’ hearing on data centers, Bren Mar Park residents and environmental activists staged a rally and press conference urging stricter rules to protect neighborhoods.
Planning Commission recommends zoning changes for data centers
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on June 6 recommended approval of a more restrictive zoning ordinance on data centers. Commissioners approved several amendments that address some of the concerns raised by residents and environmental groups at a five-hour hearing the previous evening. About 50 people testified at the hearing, including residents of Bren Mar Park … Continued
Climate activists speak out against the unchecked growth of data centers
Dozens of environmental activists took part in a rally June 2 in Reston to push for more state and local action to pause the out-of-control expansion of data centers. The event was organized by the Sierra Club’s Virginia Chapter to highlight “the harmful economic and environmental consequences of explosive data center growth.” That growth “poses … Continued
New restrictions proposed for data centers
Draft guidelines proposed by Fairfax County staff tighten the requirements for data centers, as directed by the Board of Supervisors. The guidelines, part of a Zoning Ordinance amendment, would limit the locations for by-right data centers, require noise studies, and require generators to be enclosed. Applications for a zoning special exception require a public hearing; … Continued
Residents concerned about Dominion’s substation project
About 100 residents of the Bren Mar Park area came to an “open house” with Dominion Energy representatives April 9 to learn about the utility company’s plans for a new substation and transmission line to serve a data center planned for the Plaza 500 site. None of the dozen or so maps of the project … Continued
BoS calls for new regulations on data centers
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution March 20 directing planning staff to draft a Zoning Ordinance amendment to strengthen the regulations for data centers. The resolution, offered by Kathy Smith (Sully), says the proposed zoning amendment should include additional standards for by-right and special exception permissions for data centers and should address … Continued
Supervisors support higher standards for data centers
Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors expressed interest in tightening the Zoning Ordinance on data centers at a March 12 meeting of the board’s Land Use Policy Committee. At the meeting, staff from the Planning and Zoning Department outlined the changes they proposed in a recent report that would set higher standards for … Continued
Bren Mar Park residents urge the BoS to act against a by-right data center
Residents of Bren Mar Park are again fighting plans for a data center in their neighborhood. In 2022, residents successfully mobilized against a rezoning proposal for a data center at Plaza 500, an industrial/business park at 6295 Edsall Road. Facing potential rejection, the developer, Starwood Capital Group, withdrew its application. Half of the Plaza 500 … Continued
Board approves huge data center
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning application Jan. 23 to allow the construction of a 110-foot-tall data center on Route 50 in Chantilly. Nearly all the 25 people who spoke at the public hearing cited concerns with noise and environmental issues. One major complaint is the potential for a diesel leak that … Continued
Supervisors to vote on huge data center
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a hearing on Jan. 23 on a huge data center in Chantilly that could have a negative impact on the county’s drinking water. An affiliate of Penzance is seeking a rezoning and special exception to build a 110-foot-tall data center in a resource protection area. … Continued