KING WILLIAM — As Virginia leads the data center revolution associated with artificial intelligence, some of King William’s civic leaders appear eager to get in on the act.
The county is considering updating its ordinances to make the rural county more attractive for giant data and technology centers.
The county’s planning commission at its Sept. 3 meeting discussed rules for data centers, technology centers and facilities such as battery storage plants. The commission decided to schedule a public hearing on the proposed changes.
Senior Planner Sherry Graham presented a draft ordinance that would add “data centers and technology centers to the use matrix and pave the way for any new facilities that may want to come into the county.”
Graham said the ordinance did not reflect any proposed applications. “We just want to be ready just in case,” she said.
Some commissioners spoke in favor of the county attracting data centers to increase its economic base.
Ben Edwards, the commissioner who also sits on the King William Board of Supervisors, said it would be foolish not to bring a data center into King William if a developer showed an interest.
“Do you want to pay more taxes or do you want a data center?” he asked.
The draft technology ordinance casts the net wider than data centers.
“The proposed requirements would include supplemental regulations to allow data warehouse centers, electrical component manufacturing facilities, energy storage facilities, flex industrial, and renewable energy generation facilities, which would be permitted with approval of a Conditional Use Permit in the Agricultural-Conservation District and in the Industrial Zoning District,” Graham’s report to the commission stated.
The draft ordinance states that centers should cover at least 300 acres with a maximum height of 45 feet. No loading or unloading activities should take place within 250 feet of homes.
Commissioners opposed a proposed 75-foot buffer between a data center and homes, saying a buffer should be at least 100 feet.
Graham suggested a buffer of 150 feet in response to the concerns.
The draft states that any centers would be located in “large contiguous areas of the county that are located in close proximity to strategic and necessary resources, such as high-capacity electric generation and transmission facilities, natural gas lines and navigable waterways.”
Virginia is home to 70% of the world’s data centers, the Virginia Mercury reported in May 2024. These huge warehouses that store computers’ associated processing equipment and internet network servers are located in Northern Virginia.
Caroline County has been linked to data center projects in recent years. However, the Board of Supervisors there rejected a 900-acre project in June. Opponents have warned the centers could take millions of gallons of water from the Rappahannock River, causing environmental issues for communities downstream.
David Macaulay, Davidmacaulayva@gmail.com
