FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA – Congressman Don Beyer asked Fairfax County authorities to reject the application for a substation to support a planned data center at Plaza 500 on Edsall Road in a letter released Thursday.
In his letter to the Fairfax County Planning Commission, Beyer wrote, "As the Member of Congress representing the community in which this proposal is located, I have serious concerns about the potential impact of this project on residents. Data center infrastructure should not be built in residential areas where its scale and likely impacts are fundamentally incompatible with the character and quality of life of adjacent neighborhoods. As such, I respectfully request the Commission deny the Application."
The Save Bren Mar Coalition, a community group opposing the data center, called Beyer's statement "a welcome development" and thanked Beyer for listening to constituents.
The proposed data center is a project by Starwood Capital Group planned for 6295 Edsall Road in Lincolnia, Fairfax County, near the Alexandria city line. Many residents oppose the plan because of its proximity to their neighborhoods – the data center's substation would be within 100 feet of residential property.
The data center is allowed by right, but the county can reject the necessary substation. Virginia law requires public facilities, including electrical substations, to have a public hearing and review to determine their compatibility with area guidelines established in Fairfax County's Comprehensive Plan. The process is known as a Public Facilities 2232 Review.
In his letter, Beyer said, "Residents have raised important questions about the compatibility of this project with the surrounding community. Specific concerns include land use, environmental impacts like flooding, excessive lighting and noise pollution, and whether this proposal supports thoughtful, sustainable growth envisioned for Lincolnia."
More than 100 residents attended an informational meeting between Dominion Energy and the Mason District Land Use Committee Tuesday night to hear the company's plans and express their concerns about the substation, according to the Save Bren Mar Coalition.
Residents shared photos of a standing-room-only gathering.
That is the only public meeting planned before the land use committee votes on its recommendation on the substation on September 22. The Fairfax County Planning Commission will have a public hearing and issue their decision on September 24.
The Save Bren Mar Coalition has more information about the upcoming meetings here.
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