Loudoun VA zoning administrator: data centers not by-right under 1972 ordinance
Loudoun County, VA — Zoning Administrator Rules Data Centers Are Not a By-Right Principal Use Under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance (Rt. 28 Tax District), Reversing a 2000 Interpretation (July 2026)
Loudoun County, VA · Loudoun County Zoning Administrator opinion on data centers under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance (July 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- July 30, 2026
- Applies to
- Data center developers on Rt. 28 Tax District parcels governed by the 1972 Zoning Ordinance
- Enforced by
- Loudoun County Department of Building and Development / Zoning Administrator
Loudoun County's zoning administrator has ruled that data centers are not allowed as a main use by right on land still governed by the county's 1972 zoning ordinance in the Route 28 Tax District, reversing a 2000 interpretation that let them be built like offices. The ruling means projects there, including Amazon's proposed data centers on George Washington University's former Ashburn campus, need approval from the Board of Supervisors. The county is also moving to shift those properties to its 2023 zoning ordinance.
Who is protected: Loudoun County, VA residents
Legal detail
Loudoun County (VA) Zoning Administrator determination/opinion, July 2026: under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance (applicable to Rt. 28 Tax District parcels), 'Data center is not a permitted principal use'; data processing appears only as accessory/subordinate to permitted principal uses in the PD-RD district. Reverses a 2000 zoning administrator ruling permitting by-right data centers where offices are allowed. Applied to Amazon's July 2026 application for four buildings (805,000 sq ft; staff estimate up to 885,000 gal/day water, up to 217 MW) on the 120-acre GWU Science and Technology campus bought for $427M. County-initiated conversion of Rt. 28 properties to the 2023 ordinance before Planning Commission October 2026. NOT ESTABLISHED: exact determination date/number; any appeal to the BZA (Patch says scope for the Rt. 28 district was initially unclear).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Loudoun County, VA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | July 30, 2026 |
| Citation | Loudoun County Zoning Administrator opinion on data centers under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance (July 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | County Zoning Chief Says Amazon Needs Board Approval for GWU Data Centers — Loudoun Now (Oct. 8, 2026) |
More AI rules in Loudoun County, VA
- Loudoun County VA considering data center moratorium · Proposed / pending
- Loudoun County VA Data Center Standards & Locations Phase 1 · In effect
- Loudoun County VA Data Center Standards & Locations Phase 2 Project Plan · Proposed / pending
- Loudoun County Sheriff's Office ALPR General Order 401.8 · In effect
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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