Location Outside of Data Center Overlay District

On June 15th, the Board majority voted to approve the Village Place Technology Park rezoning request over the objections of nearby residents and district supervisor representing the area, Pete Candland.

With the approval, four new 70 foot tall data center buildings totaling 1.2M sq. ft. next to homes and across from schools will be built along Route 55 at the eastern end of the town of Haymarket.

According to the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, Dominion Energy confirmed during a February 10th, 2021 meeting with county staff, the Coalition, and the applicant, that this project, combined with the power needed for the already approved 4.5M sq. ft. Gainesville Crossing data center campus on Rte. 29 adjacent to Rte. 66, will require a new transmission line and one or possibly two new substations.

Indeed, much of the debate centered around the potential need for more overhead power lines and local residents still weary from previous battles with Dominion.

In addition to being sympathetic to the local residents’ concerns about transmission lines, Supervisor Vega also voted against the data center for being outside of the current Data Center Overlay District approved by the Board. Recently, the Board initiated a zoning text amendment to look into the expansion of data centers throughout the county. She said she preferred waiting until the Board went through the comprehensive process of determining which sites make the most sense for the building of more data centers.

Supervisor Candland said he received over 400 e-mails from concerned residents opposing the plan, but in the end it was not enough as the Board majority streamrolled the wishes of the district supervisor and residents yet again.

– Coles District Staff