Fairfax County is proposing new zoning regulations for utility substations that could limit where they can be built and impose stricter standards on projects near residential neighborhoods.
The draft amendments, discussed at a Board of Supervisors Land Use Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 28), aim to address community concerns about the noise and industrial appearance of substations, while accommodating the region’s growing energy needs, zoning administrative staff said.
The proposal follows the adoption of stricter data center zoning regulations last September, as officials work to manage the infrastructure demands tied to Northern Virginia’s booming data center industry.
Below is a list of the proposed amendments.
- Limiting By-Right Construction: Substations can only be built by-right in heavy industrial zones (I-5 and I-6). Any substation planned in other areas would need a special exception, requiring public hearings and stricter reviews.
- Adding Setbacks from Homes and Streets: New rules would require substations to be built farther from residential properties and public roads, with specific minimum distances to be determined.
- Improving Visual Barriers: Projects would need to incorporate taller fences, thicker landscaping, or enclosed buildings to block the view of equipment from nearby homes and streets.
- Standardizing Alternative Site Reviews: Instead of different requirements for distribution and transmission substations, the county would adopt a uniform process to ensure other potential locations are fully evaluated.
- Tightening Noise Standards: Substations would be subject to more rigorous noise limits, particularly during nighttime hours, to comply with residential noise ordinances.
Under existing zoning rules, substations are allowed by-right in I-3 through I-6 industrial zones, as well as in some planned development areas with minimal oversight. In other zones, projects require special exceptions, but the review criteria can vary depending on the type of substation.
Current rules also mandate only a 35-foot-wide landscape buffer and a 6-foot-tall solid fence or wall to screen substations when they’re near homes.
County staff cited the rapid expansion of data centers as a key factor in the increase in substation applications, with seven submitted in the past five years alone. According to county estimates, Dominion Energy operates 76 substations in the county, while the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) operates eight.
In recent years, Fairfax County residents and others in the region have mobilized to oppose the construction of data centers and substations near residential neighborhoods.
According to a recent study by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), 55% of Fairfax County’s 20 data centers are within 200 feet of residential zones, and 70% are within 500 feet.
By comparison, Loudoun County has 71 data centers — the most in the region — but only 24% of them are located within 200 feet and 34% within 500 feet of homes. Prince William County, home to 24 data centers, reports just 21% of facilities fall in those distances.
At public hearings on the county’s data center zoning rules, residents pointed to diesel generators, which are commonly used for backup power, as a potential health concern. Persistent noise and the industrial appearance of these facilities have also sparked pushback, with many arguing that their proximity to homes reduces property values.
Another growing concern is the industry’s energy consumption. Data centers now account for about 20% of Virginia’s total energy use and are projected to double within the next decade, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of supporting such high energy demands.
The county plans to hold outreach meetings on the proposed substation rule changes this spring, with a draft amendment text expected to be ready for review by May. Public hearings are scheduled for June and July, with the Board of Supervisors anticipated to make a final decision in July.
If adopted, the new regulations would apply to all future substation projects requiring county approval.
