Virginia SB 841 — Data centers; public hearing and notice requirements.
Virginia, 2027. SB 841: Data centers; public hearing and notice requirements.
Latest action
October 8, 2026 — Referred to Committee on Local Government
Summary
Data centers; public hearing and notice requirements. Provides additional requirements for local land use decisions regarding zoning changes for data center development. The bill requires, in addition to existing requirements for public advertisements, that the published advertisement providing notice for a public hearing regarding any proposed amendment to a zoning ordinance or application for a special exception for a change in use to permit the by-right development of a data center contain (i) the applicant or developer's name; (ii) the anticipated owner or end user of the development, if known; (iii) the street address, tax map parcel numbers of the parcel or parcels, or a description of the boundaries of the area subject to the changes and a link to a map of the subject area; (iv) the approximate acreage subject to the action; and (v) the expected utility infrastructure to be constructed in connection with the development, including electric, sewer, stormwater, and fuel lines, if known. The bill also requires the local governing body, before approving and adopting any zoning ordinance or amendment, and the board of zoning appeals, before authorizing a special exception or variance, to hold at least two public hearings whenever the subject of a land use decision is a data center development. Under current law, the local governing body and the board of zoning appeals are only required to hold one public hearing.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-2204, 15.2-2208.1, 15.2-2285, 15.2-2301, 15.2-2303.4, 15.2-2310, and 15.2-2316.4:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to data centers; public notice requirements; public hearings.
Sponsors
- Michael J. Jones — primary sponsor
- Danica A. Roem
Bill text
Introduced Read version ↗ Read version ↗
Recorded votes
No roll-call votes were supplied for this bill. This does not imply that no vote occurred.
Legislative history
- Referred to Committee on Local Government
- Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2027 27100159D
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