Fairfax County, VA officials formally instituted regulations on data center locations after an 8-2 vote on September 10. Datacenter Dynamics reported that the updated stipulations include that centers must be at least 200 feet away from residential areas and at least one mile from a Metro station, and proposals must include the results of noise studies.
Additionally, a 500-foot setback is required for any equipment mounted on the ground, including cooling equipment, generators, accessory substations, or other power equipment. Officials will also be permitted to screen equipment such as air conditioning and generators and limit size thresholds. According to an official agenda document, applications approved prior to the amendment’s effective date will stand.
“We want to put in place protections for data centers in Fairfax County and not repeat the challenges that have been faced in neighboring Prince William and Loudoun counties,” said Fairfax County Chairman Jeff McKay.
Datacenter Dynamics reported that public feedback has been mixed. Some residents feel the restrictions are not tight enough, and others fear the regulations will limit data center interest, which provides significant tax revenue to the county.
Currently, Fairfax County has approximately three million square foot miles of data center space. Operational data centers and those in progress include Penzance, AWS, CoreSite, and Edge Centers.
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