Remarks to the Prince William Planning Commission: January 12, 2022

My name is Bill Wright and I live in Gainesville.  I am here to oppose an expansion of the existing Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District and the Prince William Digital Gateway. 

Chapter 32, Article V, Part 509 of the Prince William County Code of Ordinances states:

“The Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District was created for the purpose of promoting development of data centers within areas of the County where there is existing infrastructure that could adequately support the proposed use. This District continues the County's efforts to attract and advance high-tech industrial development while limiting negative impacts to communities.”

There is no reason to go outside the overlay district.  The premise of both proposals rests on an assertion made in a May 27, 2021 memo from the Prince William County Department of Economic Development that there is insufficient suitable land remaining the existing overlay district to meet the County’s economic development goals.  The same memo states that “most data center requests are for 100 acres of contiguous land”. In her e-mail to me of January 4^th, Executive Director of the Department of Economic Development Christina Winn could provide no evidence to substantiate either of the above claims.  It stated that a study “to analyze commercial and industrial land throughout the County… will be available in early spring”.

A BAE market study commissioned by the County to evaluate data center demand makes no mention of any 100-acre minimum requirement.  Rather it states that data center developers are eager to locate in Prince William County because of our proximity to “data center alley” in Ashburn. 

None of the currently operating data centers in Prince William County are on a parcel of 100 acres or more, the largest being 83 acres.  Of the 32 data center sites currently under development, only three are on parcels of greater than 100 acres and the average parcel size is 39.3 acres.  Even if data center developers say they prefer 100 acres lots, that certainly isn’t what they have been buying.  And given the strong demand for our prime location, they are likely to continue to buy what we make available.  And we should make available only appropriate industrial sites.

I have previously distributed to each of you by e-mail a spreadsheet, showing vast acreages currently under development for data centers or available for future data center development within the overlay district.  Given the tremendous amount of data center square footage that could be built out on these properties, there is absolutely no immediate need to expand the existing overlay district, especially into sensitive natural and historic areas. 

I support promoting economic growth within Prince William County, understand the need for data centers and am not opposed to them per se.  I am adamantly opposed to altering current prudent zoning restrictions for the purpose of placing data centers in areas inappropriate for their presence. 

This is not a “not in my backyard” argument.  The approved data center overlay district is in my backyard only a few miles away, but in a pre-existing commercial and industrial area.  Why is the County now trying to put data centers in our rural side yard when the industrial backyard is not full?

I offer to take any of the Commissioners on a tour of both the existing overlay district and proposed Pageland Lane corridor to prove the points I have made.