“Voted Opposed on Loudoun County's Phase 1 data center amendments, ending by-right data center development countywide”

Loudoun County - the largest data center market in the world - voted 7-2 to end by-right data center development. The Phase 1 comprehensive plan amendment identifies data centers as a Conditional Use in all Place Types where they had been identified as a Core Use or a Complementary Use, and the companion zoning ordinance amendment designates data centers as Special Exception (SPEX) uses in all zoning districts where they had been permitted by-right. The practical effect is that data centers can no longer be approved administratively through site plan review; the county source states the change "ensures that the Board has the opportunity to review all new data center applications through the SPEX process." The official county staff record naming this vote identifies only the two supervisors who opposed it, so only those two are recorded here; the seven supervisors in the majority are not named by the source. Outcome: Adopted 7-2. Data centers ceased to be a by-right use countywide and became a Special Exception use. Recorded vote: Opposed. Body: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Measure: CPAM-2024-0001 & ZOAM-2024-0001.