Northern Virginia has more data centers than anywhere else in the world. Here’s its advice for Southside. – Cardinal News

Northern Virginia officials and residents share hard-won lessons about data center development with communities in Southside Virginia now facing their first proposals. The article highlights how inadequate zoning allowed data centers to be built near homes and schools, and urges localities to confine projects to heavy industrial zones, demand detailed project plans from developers, and research the companies involved. Elected officials from Loudoun and Prince William counties, along with the JLARC report, emphasize proactive land use planning and transparency as essential to avoiding the problems Northern Virginia has experienced.