The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Warren County
Mixed Data Center Policies
Virginia offers conditional tax breaks and optional local tax benefits for qualifying data centers, while requiring large new facilities to assess noise and certain generators to meet emission limits for applications from July 2026. Separate water reporting by covered suppliers is upcoming.
Rating and summary from Virginia statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Warren County.
Specific to Warren County only.
failed · Industrial (I) zoning district in the unincorporated countyWould have amended Warren County’s zoning code to allow data centers as a conditional-use-permit use in the Industrial (I) district, while adding related definitions and proposed performance standards; any facility would still have required a separate discretionary permit.Virginia Warren County Z2026-05-01 Zoning Text Amendment (2026)
What this means
As proposed, it would allow data centers in Warren County’s Industrial district, but only with a conditional use permit and new operating standards (“permitted by conditional use permit”). This creates a meaningful new path to build them, while review and standards on issues such as noise and water would still limit projects.
People behind it
- Dan Doty
Applicant representative who submitted the zoning text amendment on behalf of Rushmark Rockland, LLC.
- Rushmark Rockland, LLC
Applicant and property owner whose request initiated the zoning text amendment.
- Warren County Planning Department
County department responsible for processing the applicant's submission and presenting the amendment for consideration.
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- Kelly Wahl
Warren County Planning Director who presented the zoning text amendment to the Planning Commission.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements11
Data centers would be allowed only in the Industrial zoning district through a conditional use permit, rather than as a by-right use, requiring discretionary approval before development.
The zoning text amendment and conditional use permit must proceed through Planning Commission review and a public hearing, followed by Board of Supervisors consideration and approval.
Applicants must demonstrate compliance with the proposed performance standards before final site-plan approval and issuance of a building permit.
Data centers must comply with ongoing performance standards during operation; noncompliance could result in rescission of the conditional use permit.
The proposed standards impose noise limits, including a stated 65-decibel limit during normal daytime hours, with additional acoustic requirements for facility operations and equipment.
The proposed standards impose vibration limits on data-center operations.
The proposed standards require minimum setbacks or buffers between data-center facilities and nearby properties, including a referenced 125-foot residential setback.
Data-center buildings are subject to a 300,000-square-foot size limit unless a special use permit authorizes a larger building.
Building-height exceptions require special use permit approval.
The proposed standards restrict water use for data-center cooling and generally require air-cooled systems; temporary potable-water use for industrial cooling may be allowed only by approval.
Generator operation is subject to limits on testing or operating times and allowable noise levels.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions7
Adds data centers as a use allowed by conditional use permit in the Industrial (I) zoning district, creating a legal permitting path for data-center construction.
Allows data-center building heights to exceed the standard limit through a special-use-permit process.
Allows data-center buildings larger than 300,000 square feet through a special-use-permit process.
Allows temporary use of potable water for industrial cooling when approved, rather than imposing an absolute prohibition.
Allows specified performance limits, including sound limits, to be relaxed on a case-by-case basis.
Allows vibration limits to be relaxed on a case-by-case basis.
Permits compliance measurements and post-development reviews to be performed by consultants selected by the data-center operator.
Sources
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