Franklin County Zoning Rewrite (paused)
Franklin County, VA Draft Zoning Rewrite with Data Center Siting, Noise, and Water Restrictions
Franklin County, VA · Franklin County, Va., draft zoning rewrite (paused May 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Data center developers in Franklin County
- Enforced by
- Franklin County Planning and Community Development
Franklin County, Virginia is rewriting its zoning ordinance for the first time since 1988, and data centers are the flashpoint. The draft would bar future data centers from using private wells, set noise limits on cooling fans, and require sites with existing substations or transmission lines. After heavy public criticism, supervisors paused the rewrite to gather more feedback.
Who is protected: Franklin County residents, particularly rural property owners
Legal detail
Draft comprehensive zoning rewrite with data center provisions: private-well prohibition, cooling-fan noise standards, siting limited to parcels with existing substations/transmission; paused by the Board of Supervisors May 2026 pending revisions.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Franklin County, VA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Citation | Franklin County, Va., draft zoning rewrite (paused May 2026) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Franklin County residents seek restrictions on data center development — WDBJ7 |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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