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Fairfax County could sharply limit where new utility substations are built as officials confront rising power demand and residents’ concerns about noise and industrial infrastructure near neighborhoods.
Draft zoning amendments discussed by the Board of Supervisors’ Land Use Policy Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 28, would subject more projects to public hearings, tougher reviews and stronger screening requirements. The changes are intended to balance community concerns with the region’s growing electricity needs.
The proposal follows the county’s adoption of stricter data center zoning regulations last September. Data center growth across Northern Virginia has increased demand for substations and other supporting infrastructure.
Under the proposed rules, substations could be built by right only in the county’s I-5 and I-6 heavy industrial districts. Projects proposed elsewhere would require a special exception, triggering public hearings and additional scrutiny.
The amendments would also establish greater separation from residential properties and public roads, although the minimum distances have not yet been determined. Developers could face requirements for taller fences, denser landscaping or enclosed structures to shield equipment from nearby homes and streets.
Fairfax County would create a uniform alternative-site review process for both distribution and transmission substations. The facilities would also face more rigorous noise limits, particularly at night, to align them with residential noise standards.
Current zoning regulations permit substations by right in I-3 through I-6 industrial districts and in some planned development areas with limited oversight. Special exceptions are required in other districts, but review standards can differ depending on the kind of substation proposed.
Existing screening rules generally call for a 35-foot landscape buffer and a solid fence or wall at least 6 feet tall when a substation is near homes.
County staff linked the recent increase in applications to rapid data center development. Seven substation applications have been submitted in Fairfax County during the past five years. County estimates indicate that Dominion Energy operates 76 substations there, while the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative operates eight.
Residents in Fairfax County and elsewhere in Northern Virginia have increasingly organized against data centers and substations proposed close to residential communities.
A study by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that 55% of Fairfax County’s 20 data centers are within 200 feet of residential zones, while 70% are within 500 feet.
The comparable figures are lower in neighboring jurisdictions. Loudoun County has 71 data centers, the most in the region, but 24% are within 200 feet of residential areas and 34% are within 500 feet. Prince William County has 24 data centers, with 21% falling within those distances.
During public hearings on Fairfax County’s data center zoning regulations, residents raised concerns about diesel backup generators, persistent noise and the industrial appearance of facilities near homes. Some also argued that such development could lower surrounding property values.
Energy consumption has become another source of pressure. Data centers account for roughly 20% of Virginia’s electricity use, and that demand is projected to double over the next decade.
The county expects to conduct community outreach on the proposed substation changes this spring. Draft amendment language is scheduled for review by May, followed by public hearings in June and July. The Board of Supervisors is expected to make a final decision in July.
If approved, the regulations would apply to future substation projects that require county authorization.