Data Centers Archives - Page 6 of 25

Prince William Supervisors Approve Data Center Near Unity Reed High School Amid Opposition

Published February 10, 2025 at 10:53PM | Updated February 13, 2025 at 10:17PM

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has approved a 24-acre rezoning for a new data center development along Wellington Road, despite opposition from Supervisor Bob Weir and concerns about its proximity to Unity Reed High School.

On February 4, 2025, the board approved Rezoning #REZ2024-00042, NVA05C, changing the property’s zoning from agricultural and business districts to Planned Business District (PBD) to accommodate a data center. The site, located 700 feet southwest of Freedom Center Boulevard and Wellington Road, is part of Innovation Park, an area designated for high-tech development.

The rezoning application was submitted by STACK Infrastructure, which operates data centers in multiple locations across North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Some key Northern Virginia locations include: Manassas, Ashburn, and Leesburg.

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg Data Center Debate Heats Up: Concerns Grow Over Transparency and Environmental Impact

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 29, 2025 at 4:55PM | Updated February 13, 2025 at 10:50AM

Fredericksburg City Hall

The ongoing debate over the construction of data centers in Fredericksburg took center stage during the City Council meeting on January 28, 2025, with residents and council members expressing mounting concerns about the potential environmental consequences and the lack of transparency in the approval process.

At the heart of the controversy is the city’s aggressive timeline for approving zoning changes and facilitating the development of new data centers. Local residents have voiced their concerns about the environmental impact of such large-scale projects, particularly in areas close to residential neighborhoods and natural resources like the Rappahannock River. While proponents argue that data centers could bring significant economic benefits, critics worry that the city is rushing to approve projects without fully understanding or addressing the long-term consequences.

Hamilton Palmer, a Fredericksburg resident, raised alarms about the transparency of the decision-making process. At the meeting, Palmer expressed frustration over the council’s handling of the issue, particularly regarding releasing information about the proposed data centers. “There has been little effort by the city to engage the public on data centers until this past year,” Palmer said, emphasizing that many residents are still unclear about the full scope of the projects and their potential impact on the community.

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News

Possum Point power plant near Dumfries to expand, modernize for data centers

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 27, 2025 at 10:07PM

Once thought to be on its way out, Dominion Energy’s Possum Point Power Station near Dumfries is now expanding operations to meet rising data center power demands, Insidenova.com reports.

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Originals

Subcommittee Rejects Bill to Regulate Data Centers Near Schools, Parks

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 27, 2025 at 6:16AM | Updated January 31, 2025 at 1:39PM

Village Place Technology Park in Gainesville, approved by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in 2022

The Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee rejected a bill that sought to regulate the siting of data centers near schools, parks, and residential areas. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) presented HB1984, which would have required local government approval for data center developments only if they were located at least a quarter mile away from such properties. The subcommittee voted 8-0 to “lay the bill on the table,” effectively killing it.

The vote dealt a setback to those advocating for tighter regulation of Virginia’s rapidly growing data center industry. Data centers, which house servers and infrastructure critical for cloud computing and internet services, have been a source of contention due to their noise, construction impacts, and potential encroachment on residential and community spaces.

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg defends ‘deliberate pace’ of data center pursuit during public input session

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 24, 2025 at 2:00PM

A majority of the residents who spoke during Wednesday’s public input session about Fredericksburg’s proposed Technology Overlay District acknowledged or even supported the city’s pursuit of data centers.

Rather, it’s the terms and timetable governing said pursuit that comprised most of their questions asked during a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council.

More than one speaker noted that adjacent jurisdictions, such as Stafford County, have taken up to six months from initiating the public process to voting for a data center. By contrast, Fredericksburg’s city council first discussed a Technology Overlay District in detail on Dec. 10 and could vote on related resolutions and ordinances as early as its Feb. 25 meeting.

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg City Council Advances Plan to Create Data Center Technology District Amid Accelerated Timeline and Public Debate

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 21, 2025 at 10:56AM

Fredericksburg City Hall

The Fredericksburg City Council took a significant step toward attracting data center development on Monday, January 14, by voting unanimously to initiate amendments to the city’s 2015 comprehensive plan, unified development ordinance (UDO), and zoning map. The proposed changes aim to establish a Technology Overlay District (TOD) that would designate roughly 250 acres in the city as a site for data centers and related uses near the Fredericksburg Nationals stadium.

Currently, the city does not have server farms like those sprouting up in surrounding jurisdictions, such as Stafford, Spotsylvania, Prince William, and King George counties. Unlike their neighbors, the city has far fewer acres of land to devote to the sprawling tech campuses.

“This is a critical opportunity for Fredericksburg to position itself as a competitive player in the tech industry,” said Mayor Kerry P. Devine. “By concentrating development in a single campus-like district, we can ensure infrastructure is used efficiently while minimizing environmental and community impacts.”

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News

Local Va. senator pitches bill to relieve Digital Gateway landowners of their higher tax bills

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 21, 2025 at 10:03AM

McPike

Landowners who want to sell their properties for the Prince William Digital Gateway data center development and are suing Prince William County over their higher real estate tax bills were recently dealt a blow in court when a judge ruled against their case.

But they might have a Plan B, thanks to a bill sponsored by state Sen. Jeremy McPike.

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News

Supervisors Consider Plans for Woodbridge Hub, General Assembly Bills

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 20, 2025 at 9:08PM

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will convene on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. at 1 County Complex Court in Woodbridge for a packed agenda that includes major decisions on land development and state legislation. The meeting is open to the public.

Woodbridge Land Development

Supervisors are expected to approve $250,000 to hire consultants to determine the best use for 21.85 acres of land in Woodbridge, previously considered for an indoor sports and recreation center. The funding, drawn from the Economic Development Opportunity Fund, will support planning for a vibrant mixed-use community hub. The land is part of a larger 70-acre property targeted for an indoor sports venue, focusing on creating live-work-play environments and generating tax revenue.

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As data center boom continues, Va. legislators broach new regulations

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 15, 2025 at 3:48PM | Updated January 15, 2025 at 4:28PM

Insidenova.com: A bipartisan coalition of Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday presented a series of bills aimed at addressing the rapid expansion of data centers, which have become a cornerstone of the state’s economy but have raised concerns about energy use, environmental impact, and equitable cost distribution.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin highlighted the industry’s importance during his State of the Commonwealth address Monday, noting that “data centers alone support 74,000 jobs, bring in $9.1 billion in Virginia GDP, and generate billions in local revenue.” He called for Virginia to remain “the data center capital of the world” while ensuring state support for the industry.

However, lawmakers from both parties have emphasized the need for oversight to ensure the industry’s growth is managed responsibly.

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Fredericksburg

Opinion: Timelines, Transparency, and Data Centers

By Uriah Kiser

Published January 14, 2025 at 4:18PM

FXBG Advance: The public was first made aware of the possibility of data centers in Celebrate VA when Mayor Devine added the topic to the July 9, 2024 Council agenda, giving the public no prior notice that the topic was to be discussed. Well before that announcement, council members had toured data centers in February, two at a time, to avoid public notice.

Also, prior to the July 9th meeting the City Manager initiated discussion with a developer to provide land for data centers.

In September the City Council supported the expenditure of $200,000 to study the infrastructure needs to provide power for data centers in Celebrate VA. A cost that should not be the responsibility of the city but by either Dominion Power or the developer. When questioned about this City Manager Tim Baroody confirmed it was not the city’s responsibility but explained that it was being done at the direction of the City Council.

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