Stafford to Consider Requiring Conditional Use Permit for Data Centers in Industrial Zoning Districts
There will be a joint public hearing on March 18 to consider the issue.
By Devin Schwers
CORRESPONDENT
The Stafford Board of Supervisors last week approved a resolution initiating a public hearing into whether data centers should no longer be allowed as a by-right use in heavy industrial zoning districts.
The resolution authorizes a joint hearing of the Board and Planning Commission on March 18 to consider a zoning amendment that would move data centers from a by-right use to one requiring a conditional use permit.
As it stands, data centers in heavy industrial zoning districts do not require special approval from supervisors. Under the amendment proposed, developers seeking to build data centers would be required to seek that approval.
Supervisor Monica Gary of the Aquia district voted against the resolution, saying that, “The revenue that we are able to gain from data centers will be really instrumental in solving some of these issues we are having with taxes, and we really want to take care of everyone.”
But Supervisor Meg Bohmke of the Falmouth district cited constituents’ discontent with data centers as one of her reasons for voting in favor of the resolution.
“[A conditional use permit] is really important because it allows you to work with your constituents that live around there, and at the end of the day that’s what’s important to me,” Bohmke said. “So, I will be supporting it.”
Gary responded to Bohmke’s concern, saying, “If I thought that was an issue that would impact the lives of my constituents, I would fight for it like you were.”
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
The FXBG Advance cuts through the talking points to deliver both incisive and informative news about the issues, people, and organizations that daily affect your life. And we do it in a multi-partisan format that has no equal in this region. Over the past year, our reporting was:
First to break the story of Stafford Board of Supervisors dismissing a citizen library board member for “misconduct,” without informing the citizen or explaining what the person allegedly did wrong.
First to explain falling water levels in the Rappahannock Canal.
First to detail controversial traffic numbers submitted by Stafford staff on the Buc-ee’s project
Our media group also offers the most-extensive election coverage in the region and regular columnists like:
And our newsroom is led by the most-experienced and most-awarded journalists in the region — Adele Uphaus (Managing Editor and multiple VPA award-winner) and Martin Davis (Editor-in-Chief, 2022 Opinion Writer of the Year in Virginia and more than 25 years reporting from around the country and the world).
For just $8 a month, you can help support top-flight journalism that puts people over policies.
Your contributions 100% support our journalists.
Help us as we continue to grow!
This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”