Residents Briefed On Amazon's Ashburn Data Center Plans, Possible Obstacles To Development

ASHBURN, VA – Neighbors of a proposed Amazon data center on a plot of land in Ashburn formerly owned by George Washington University expressed concerns at a recent town hall hosted by Algonkian District Supervisor Juli Briskman, who provided an update on plans for the site and some pathways for opposing them.

Amazon filed plans to build a data center complex on the campus in July. The company’s site plan application was formally accepted for review by Loudoun County staff in September, Briskman said, noting in a newsletter that accepting an application for review does not grant an applicant vested rights or grandfathering, and it does not guarantee that the application will be approved.

Amazon purchased the lot in March. In April, at Briskman’s initiative, county staff were directed to review the potential impact of a redevelopment of the area, including estimated electrical needs and required transmission infrastructure. According to a report by Loudoun Now, the plan includes 84 backup generators, equipment that has raised the ire of Loudoun residents already for contributing to noise and air pollution.

Indeed, according to the outlet, air pollution from the site was raised as a concern by town hall attendees. They also expressed fears about other types of pollution and the impact on their property values.

The county staff's report will be published on Oct. 1 and discussed at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Oct. 6, Briskman said.

The property currently falls within the Route 28 tax district. The Route 28 tax district is a special tax overlay that allowed properties within it to continue under a flexible 1972 zoning ordinance rather than the county’s 1993 overhaul. It was created to pay for improvements to Route 28 infrastructure – payments which will be complete in December, Briskman noted. The 1972 zoning ordinance would allow data centers to be developed by right: without a public hearing and vote. When the property is brought up to the current 2023 code after the final payment, by-right development will not be allowed.

There might also be additional blocks to data center development on the lot depending on rules for individual parcels.

Briskman noted that Amazon’s current site plan application is not affected by the Board of Supervisors vote earlier in September to advance a proposal to pause consideration of legislative applications for data centers.

Briskman opposes developing the land into data centers, as do County Board Chair Phyllis J. Randall and Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer, according to Loudoun Now. Marty Martinez, delegate for Virginia House District 29, which covers part of Loudoun County, also attended the town hall and opposes the project.

See Briskman’s summary of the meeting and presentation materials here.

See more from Loudoun Now here.