Data center rules diverge in York and James City
Plus, York board talks intersections, bridges and potholes with VDOT
The persistent hum from a data center recently filmed in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia, considered the global epicenter of data center development. On April 8, 2026, the York County Planning Commission unanimously advanced data center zoning amendments to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration. The proposal presents several differing approaches from those taken by other neigbhoring jurisdictions such as James City County. (Williamsburg Independent)
On April 8, 2026, the York County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend amendments to its data center zoning ordinance to the Board of Supervisors, where a final decision will be made. The action offers an opportunity to examine how neighboring localities are navigating the same regulatory challenges. A comparison of York and James City counties illustrates how localities can prioritize different tradeoffs while pursuing similar goals. Both counties have developed comprehensive zoning frameworks to manage data center impacts, primarily through Special Use Permit conditions. Williamsburg has not disclosed if they will be considering any similar ordinances in the future.
Virginia has established itself as the data center capital of the world, according to a report from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, hosting the largest concentration of these facilities globally, including 25% of all U.S. hyperscale data centers. That dominance traces back decades: federal fiber optic investment in the 1960s laid the groundwork for modern connectivity, eventually producing Loudoun County’s “Data Center Alley,” through which 70% of global internet IP traffic now passes. After losing a major data center project to North Carolina in 2009, Virginia expanded its sales and use tax exemptions for data center equipment, successfully attracting major cloud providers including Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.
Location and Setbacks
The industrial scale of data centers has made siting one of the most contested regulatory questions for localities. A recent study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) found that the constant low-frequency noise and industrial footprint of data centers create significant friction when facilities are located near residential areas. Both counties have responded with mandatory residential setbacks, though their thresholds differ considerably:
Residential setback: James City County requires 1,000 feet from occupied dwellings; York County requires 500 feet from residential property lines.
Sensitive areas: James City adds a 250-foot setback from historic, cultural, recreational, and environmentally sensitive areas. York County does not include an equivalent requirement.
Road access: James City prohibits use of local neighborhood roads or platted subdivisions for principal access. York County does not impose equivalent restrictions.
Non-residential setback: York County requires a 100-foot setback from non-residential property lines. James City County does not specify an equivalent standard.
The stakes of those decisions are visible in Loudoun County, which hosts the world’s largest concentration of data centers and has become a cautionary reference point for localities crafting new regulations. A position paper updated in 2025 by a member of the Loudoun Board of Supervisors describes how encroaching data center development near residential areas generated intense community resistance. Loudoun ended “by right” data center development in March 2025, in part due to those pressures. The author proposed a shift toward onsite microgrids, distributed energy networks, and a dedicated underground High Voltage Direct Current power grid built within existing rights-of-way exclusively for data center use, along with strict performance standards including 55-decibel noise limits and 500-foot residential setbacks.
Visual Buffers and Building Height
Setback requirements address proximity, but vegetative buffers and height limits shape how facilities interact with the surrounding landscape. The two counties differ on both:
Vegetative buffer: Both counties require a 50-foot internal vegetative buffer. James City requires up to a 100-foot buffer adjacent to public rights-of-way, with evergreen trees comprising at least 45% of the planting mix.
Buffer flexibility: York County eliminated the Board of Supervisors’ ability to approve alternative buffer arrangements, standardizing its 50-foot perimeter requirement. James City does not provide for similar exceptions.
Building height: York County increased its maximum allowable height from 35 feet to 75 feet to align with existing industrial zoning limits. James City County does not set a specific height cap.
Scale review: James City requires pre-construction sound and viewshed modeling based on building height and layout. York County requires a pre-development sound study modeling predicted noise generation, along with renderings or photo simulations of structures visible from external rights-of-way.
York’s height increase was a central topic at the April 8 meeting. A commissioner asked about the scope of the change, and staff indicated that data centers are limited to Industrial Limited and Industrial General districts, where a 75-foot height limit already applies to other uses.
During public comment, a speaker referenced impacts observed in other parts of Virginia and raised concerns that increased height, without additional footprint limits, could result in larger structures with greater noise and energy demands. The speaker also suggested additional environmental measures, including rooftop solar and thermal heat capture. Commissioners discussed these considerations. One noted that some environmental measures may be more appropriately addressed through building codes. The chair stated that data center proposals would still require a Special Use Permit, allowing for public input during future review processes.
Noise and Generator Standards
Noise is among the most common community concerns associated with data centers. JLARC identified persistent low-frequency noise as a source of friction near residential areas, and York County planning staff noted similar concerns related to cooling systems, server fans, and HVAC equipment. JLARC also projected that data center power consumption could significantly increase Virginia’s energy demand over time. The counties’ standards include:
Baseline noise limit: Both counties require facilities to remain at or below 55 A-weighted decibels or existing ambient noise, whichever is greater.
Low-frequency noise: York County includes a 65 C-weighted decibel limit targeting low-frequency sound. James City does not include a comparable C-weighted standard.
Physical containment: James City requires cooling equipment and generators to be enclosed or fully attenuated by a solid barrier. York County requires maintenance and standard sound-attenuating devices but does not require full enclosure.
Pre-construction modeling: James City requires applicants to demonstrate projected acoustic and visual impacts. York County requires a pre-development sound study modeling predicted noise, along with renderings or photo simulations of structures visible from public rights-of-way.
Generator testing: York County requires generators to be tested individually. James City limits testing to weekday hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Generator emissions: James City requires EPA Tier 4 standards. York County does not specify an emissions threshold.
Generator use: Both counties limit generators to testing, commissioning, and emergency backup. York County explicitly prohibits continuous use.
JLARC found that generator emissions remain limited due to infrequent use but noted that monitoring may become more important as facilities expand.
Utilities and Infrastructure
Managing data center energy and water demands is among the most pressing challenges facing Virginia localities. JLARC projected that meeting the industry’s power needs will require massive infrastructure investment, warning that those costs could raise energy bills for other ratepayers and expose utilities to financial risk if demand forecasts fall short. The industry’s expansion into emerging Virginia markets such as Prince William County and Henrico County, aided by strategic assets like subsea cable landings, adds further urgency to how localities structure their utility oversight. Both counties address those concerns through their ordinances, though they prioritize different mechanisms:
Transmission proximity: James City County requires facilities to be sited within two miles of an existing transmission line. York County does not include this requirement.
Underground power lines: James City mandates that all new or upgraded electrical lines be buried underground. York County does not include this requirement.
Cooling systems: James City specifies closed-loop liquid cooling systems or other methods to reduce water usage to the least possible. York County does not mandate a specific cooling method.
Consumption oversight: York County requires formal Board of Supervisors authorization, including a public hearing, before any increase in electricity or water usage beyond original approval. James City does not impose an equivalent mechanism.
Utility verification: York County requires operators to submit a utility verification letter every five years confirming they have not exceeded approved limits, aligning with the typical hardware refresh cycle when newer equipment may draw significantly more power. James City does not include this requirement.
Utility forecasting: York County requires a detailed letter from the electric utility provider outlining energy source, voltage levels, and projected consumption at each project phase. James City relies on infrastructure proximity requirements and SUP conditions rather than consumption forecasting.
Water conservation: James City requires a formal Water Conservation Agreement. York County requires approved conservation methods such as rainwater harvesting or recycling systems.
Well water: Both counties prohibit the use of well water, requiring connection to public water systems.
JLARC found that data center water use is currently sustainable statewide but noted that conservation practices will become increasingly important as the industry grows. To help balance the industry’s economic contributions against its broader infrastructure impacts, JLARC suggested that policymakers consider modifying or expiring Virginia’s data center sales tax exemption, a move that could give the state additional leverage in shaping how and where the industry grows.
York board talks intersections, bridges and potholes with VDOT
During the April 7, 2026, quarterly update, the York County Board of Supervisors conducted a detailed review of VDOT infrastructure projects and community grant allocations. The session was marked by a series of inquiries from board members seeking clarification on shifting project timelines, the status of safety evaluations, and the rationale behind regional funding recommendations.
Keep reading for a detailed analysis of VDOT’s most recent update to the York County Board of Supervisors …