Prince William Planners Recommend Ending By-Right Data Centers

The Prince William County Planning Commission recommended ending by-right data center development and shrinking the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District, sending the zoning text amendment toward a Sept. 22 Board of County Supervisors public hearing.

The overlay, originally adopted in 2016, currently allows by-right data centers inside its boundaries. The amendment would require future projects to obtain special use permits with board approval. Commissioners deadlocked on grace-period options before settling on a 120-day compromise and a 500-foot buffer from residential areas and schools on a 5-3 vote.

Occoquan Commissioner Raheel Sheikh switched to yes so the package could reach the board, calling it a workable compromise after lengthy debate. An earlier July hearing was invalidated over public-notice concerns, echoing notice problems that helped undo the PW Digital Gateway approvals.

Staff fast-tracked the proposal at the board's request after supervisors initiated the amendment in June.

Email the Prince William Board of Supervisors At:
Chair At-Large (Deshundra Jefferson) – djefferson@pwcgov.org,
Brentsville (Tom Gordy): tgordy@pwcgov.org,
Coles (Yesli Vega): yvega@pwcgov.org,
Occoquan (Kenny Boddye): kboddye@pwcgov.org,
Potomac (Andrea Bailey): abailey@pwcgov.org,
Woodbridge (Jeannie LaCroix): jlacroix@pwcgov.org,
General Board: bocs@pwcgov.org,

Email the Prince William School Board at:
Babur B. Lateef, M.D. (Chairman At-Large) — blateef@pwcs.edu,
Richard M. Jessie (Vice Chairman, Occoquan District) — rjessie@pwcs.edu,
Erica C. Tredinnick (Brentsville District) — etredinnick@pwcs.edu, 
Lisa A. Zargarpur (Coles District) — lzargarpur@pwcs.edu,
Jennifer T. Wall (Gainesville District) — jwall@pwcs.edu,
Tracy L. Blake (Neabsco District) — tblake@pwcs.edu,
Justin David Wilk (Potomac District) — jwilk@pwcs.edu,
Loree Y. Williams (Woodbridge District) — lwilliams@pwcs.edu,