Illustration of the data center in Chantilly to be developed by real estate investment firm Penzance.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution presented in a board matter by Sully Supervisor and Vice-Chairman Kathy L. Smith (D) with Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay (D) and Mason Supervisor Andres F. Jimenez at the board's March 19 meeting. The resolution directs staff to prepare zoning amendments to strengthen the current provisions for data centers and provide options for by right development and special exception permissions in certain districts and over certain size thresholds and additional standards.
Staff should do so expeditiously, with the proposed amendment ready for an advertised public hearing before the board in July. “With the expedited timeframe, it is recognized that community engagement efforts must be largely centralized, with virtual meeting options to maximize opportunities for citizen involvement,” Smith said. She emphasized the importance of getting ahead of data center development to protect communities and address localities’ concerns.
Smith said it may be appropriate later “to include new permissions and standards in the zoning ordinance for electrical substations to the extent permitted by law.”
McKay said the county has “few data centers” and only “very few on the horizon,” but there is urgency. “The board wants to move forward,” he said.
“It’s important that we get the protections right and the guidelines are right,” McKay said. And the quickest way to do that is to approve these zoning amendments.
Jimenez agreed and added that communities should come first over data centers. The county should put the data centers “where they belong” and “the community has a quality of life that they came to Fairfax to have.”
When the Penzance data center in Chantilly is constructed at 110 feet, it will be nearly one-half the height of the Sheraton Tysons Hotel at 215 feet and 24 stories.
Amendments Too Late for Chantilly
Earlier this year, on Jan. 23, 2024, after more than three hours of debate and public comment, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved rezoning a 12-acre plot of property in Chantilly for a 110-foot-tall data center, voting 8-1. Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) dissented.
The Board of Supervisors approved Project Description: PDCREF 2 Chantilly LCC Rezoning to I-5 District to permit the land use of a data center with a gross floor area (GFA) of 402,000 and a floor area ratio (FAR—building area ÷ lot area) of 0.8 to be located on the south side of Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, approximately 1,200 feet west of its intersection with Stonecroft Boulevard. The board approved the rezoning concurrently with a special exception already submitted. [Source: https://plus.fairfaxcounty.gov/CitizenAccess/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Zoning&TabName=Zoning&capID1=REC22&capID2=00000&capID3=00GHV&agencyCode=FFX]
Penzance's Chantilly data center will be Fairfax County’s highest data center at 110 feet, nearly one-half the height of the Sheraton Tysons Hotel at 215 feet and 24 stories.
Lee Jackson Memorial Highway and Stonecroft Boulevard are the approved locations for the data center, placing it half a mile away from homes, close to Route 50, and near existing warehouses.
The Penzance affiliate applicant agreed to enclose the diesel generators, monitor water quality, do a noise study, and pursue LEED Silver certification, as detailed in the Jan. 22 Board Draft Proffer. The applicant will also dedicate a 67-acre resource protection area on the property as a park to create a "buffer" between the facility and residents. Dominion will also build a new substation to serve the data center, although the cost of the substation will be paid by ratepayers, not the data center.