BOS narrowly give green light to Greenlin Park data center proposal

By Sophia Clifton

After an intense discussion during the Board of Supervisors Business meeting on Feb. 19, Loudoun County Supervisors voted 5-4 to narrowly pass a motion approving the application for proposed data center Greenlin Park.

The new application for the Greenlin Park data center project—located south of Leesburg along the Dulles Greenway, on the west side of Sycolin Road—ignited debate among county officials at Wednesday’s meeting. 

The proposal by JK Land Holdings seeks to rezone 83 acres of land, currently classified as Transitional Residential-10 and Joint Land Management Area–20, to an Industrial Park designation. This change would permit up to 1.4 million square feet of data center and utility substation use, reduced from the original proposal’s 2.1 million square feet.

That 1.4 million equates to roughly 16,867 square feet per acre and reflects a significant industrial investment as the county moves to require board review for every data center proposal—a policy shift that effectively doubles oversight compared to past practices.

The application covers three distinct concept plans: a four-building option averaging 350,000 square feet per building, a three-building option around 466,667 square feet per building, and a two building option at roughly 700,000 square feet per building.

Despite differences in building count and layout, all options maintain the same overall floor-area ratio, ensuring consistency in density and design. In addition, the project now features a 10% reduction in the initially proposed square footage and a cap on building height at 55 feet, down from the original proposal’s height of 60 feet.

During the Feb. 19 board meeting, county staff expressed newfound support for the Greenlin Park application after a series of modifications to the original proposal have introduced several technical upgrades aimed at minimizing environmental impact and ensuring energy efficiency. The staff report for the Greenlin Park agenda item detailed these new amendments for the Board’s review. 

The revised plans mandate the installation of advanced generators, with comprehensive analyses of natural gas options to improve efficiency. “The applicant has proffered Tier 4 generators, or Tier 2 generators with selective catalytic reduction systems, ensuring that generator emissions meet or fall below EPA standards.”

New measures target a reduction of ambient noise by at least 5 decibels in sensitive areas. “Noise from data center and associated mechanical equipment is to be limited to 55 dB(A) at the lot line of any adjacent single-family dwelling, with both pre- and post-construction noise studies required.” 

These noise measures are coupled with enhanced physical screening to buffer the development. ” The applicant has proposed additional landscaping measures, using existing trees and native shrubs to provide screening between the development and adjacent roadways, particularly along the Dulles Greenway.”

Additional changes proposed in the updated application include stormwater management and electric vehicle charging—mitigation systems capable of handling a 50-year storm event and upgraded infrastructure expected to support a 20% increase in local EV adoption.Furthermore, the project introduces water consumption limits aimed at reducing usage by approximately 15%.

During the Board’s meeting, energy management was the biggest focal point of the updated application. “The applicant has proffered to restrict power demand on the facility to no more than 300 megawatts for a period of five years, with annual monitoring and reporting of grid energy usage for three years following full power demand.” The power demand cap of no more than 300 MW over the first five years is roughly comparable to the continuous consumption of a small industrial community, or nearly 50,000 average households.

At the Feb. 19 board meeting, Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) praised the level of detail provided in the updated application—three distinct concept plans allowing the board to weigh different development scenarios. 

Noting the application’s innovative and detailed approach, Kershner remarked, “This is as good as a data center project can get.”  

“This is kind of highly unusual for an application like this to bring actual concept plans to the detail that they have brought them. Is that a fair statement?” Kershner asked Project Manager Marchant Schneider.

Schneider agreed that it was.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) also expressed high regard for the proposal’s quality. Although the Planning Commission had recommended the project in July, county planning staff initially opposed it. The subsequent revisions—especially regarding energy efficiency and environmental safeguards—shifted staff support in favor of the application. She acknowledged that while the improvements are impressive, the board faces a challenging decision given the broader community impact.

“I am getting to a place where I don’t know what to do with these applications, because Mr. Kershner is not wrong,” Randall said. “As far as data centers go, and all that we’re doing, this is one of the best applications we’ve seen. But, I also feel put in a corner sometimes.”

As the meeting continued, supervisors continued to debate their preferred development option. While a majority favored the first two concepts—which offered more extensive buffering and screening— Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) voiced his preference for the leaner, two-building design, arguing that fewer structures would better mitigate potential impacts.

“I can’t get with having four buildings or three buildings,” Saines said. “I’d rather have two buildings.”

Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) highlighted the commitment to monitor energy usage and restrict power demand. However, she questioned whether the 300 MW cap would be reached within five years, prompting further discussion among the Board about long-term energy planning. 

“Do you think they will be at the point in five years of actually needing the 300 MW?” TeKrony asked. “I’m just wondering if the timing was at all discussed.”

County Attorney Leo Rogers cautioned that endorsing one concept over another would require deferring the decision to reconsider an amended application at a later date.

Chair Randall adamantly reminded supervisors that they are legally not allowed to decide on applications based on energy supply or usage considerations. 

Towards the end of the meeting, a motion by Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg), whose district includes the project site, ultimately passed on a narrow 5–4 vote to approve the application with all three concept options permitted. “There are a number of strong positives to this application,” Umstattd said. 

Supervisors in favor of the proposal, including Umstattd, cited multiple positives—including numerous revisions, close collaboration with county staff, generous buffering zones, and the absence of nearby residential areas—while supervisors opposed expressed their concerns over rezoning residential land and potential future impacts on nearby communities such as the Academies of Loudoun. 

In the 5-4 vote, supervisors Saines, TeKrony, Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) and Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) opposed. Supervisor TeKrony cited concerns over long-term energy demands and the potential cumulative impact on community resources, saying “The vast majority of Loudoun residents don’t want more data centers.” Supervisors Briskman and Turner opposed the plan on the grounds of preserving residential character. Briskman stated that she could not in good conscience vote to re-zone land that was meant for residential use in this area. 

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) summed up the debate by emphasizing the strategic nature of the project’s location within an established industrial corridor, saying it is “the definition of an industrial area surrounded with an industrial.” 

“To me this comes down to whether we essentially don’t support any more data centers ever, or whether we support ones in appropriate places,” Letourneau said.