In her May 27, 2021 Data Center-Market Viability Review forwarded to the BOCS, Christina Winn, Executive Director , Economic Development, asserted “Of the approximately 8,700 acres of land within the DCOZ (Data Center Opportunity Zone), there is approximately 600-1100 acres Economic Development would consider market viable” and “Of those parcels, there are only two sites that would meet the 100-acres scenario of a data center requirement”.
NOTE: While the report notes that the most common requests are for 30-40 acres it appears the 100 acre used as the basis is built on only the most recent “requests”.
In a July 15, 2021 follow up letter to the Planning Director, Ms. Winn scaled the analysis down to “90 to 830 developable greenfield acres” remaining with the DCOZ.
Largely as a result of this “analysis” the BOCS (5-3 vote) initiated the PW Digital Gateway CPA on July 20, 2021, through Res. No. 21-445.
Despite requests from Eastern District Supervisors that the public cease “attacking staff” as they are only complying with BOCS instructions, I feel it is the role and responsibility of County residents to question staff presentations when the data they report is clearly in error.
A conservative analysis of the County records indicates the following:
25 Existing Data Centers
- Total Acreage: 530
- Mean Acreage/Parcel: 21
- Total Square Feet: 6,124,186
- Avg. Sq. Ft./Acre: 11,555
- Total Acreage: 1,216
- Mean Acreage/Project: 76
- Total Square Feet; 26,800,889
- Avg. Sq. Ft./Acre: 22,040
34 Parcels inside the Overlay District zoned for Data Center Development (not all inclusive)
- Mean Acreage/Parcel: 48
- Sq. Ft. Using Exist Avg: 19,007,975
- Sq. Ft. Using Devlop. Model: 36,255,800
*These parcels have use codes 971 and 972 , vacant land and do not include those requiring redevelopment.
Takeaways:
• Staff – There are only 90 to 830 developable greenfield acres remaining with the DCOZ.
Truth – There are at minimum 1645 developable greenfield acres in the DCOZ, not counting the 1216 acres already approved for Data Center Development.
• Staff – Data Centers require 100 acre parcels.
Truth – Existing PWC Data Center average parcel size is 21 acres, with the largest project covering 82.5 acres.
Truth – Data Center Projects under development average 76 acres per parcel.
• Staff – Parcels requiring assemblage were not considered site ready
Truth – At least 11 existing and under development Data Center projects are comprised of assemblages.
• Per County records, PWC has 6,124,186 square feet of existing data center usage.
• Per County records, PWC has approved 26,800,889 square feet of additional data center usage.
• Total PWC existing and approved Data Center square footage is at least 32,925,075 sq. ft.
• Undeveloped parcels within the DCOZ allow from 19,007,975 to 36,255,800 additional square feet of Data Center development bringing the potential for PWC to 51,933,050 – 69,180,875 sq. ft.
• One project within the DCOZ (KH Data proffer amendment) would add 1,229,903 sq. ft. and one project outside the DCOZ (Compton Project) would add 1,062,048 sq. ft., totaling 2,291,951 sq. ft. and increasing the potential to 54,225,001 – 71,472,826 sq. ft.
• Approval of the PW Digital Gateway, House Family Data Center CPA and Independent Hill Data Centers alone would add 2,596 acres resulting in from 29,996,780 to 57,215,840 sq. ft. of Data Center usage, increasing the total potential to 84,221,781 – 128,688,666 sq. ft.
Does anybody believe that the demand exists for more than 33 million sq. ft of existing and under development data centers currently in PWC, a total which is more than the existing square footage in Prince William and Loudoun Counties combined?
If so, does anybody believe that the demand exists for 52-70 million sq. ft., twice that which currently exists in Prince William and Loudoun Counties, available for use by existing and in-development data centers in conjunction with the conservative estimate of vacant land within the DCOZ available for data center development.
Does anybody (other than staff and a majority of the BOCS) believe that the demand exists for a total of 84,221,781 – 128,688,666 sq. ft that would result from the approval of additional proposals such as the PW Digital Gateway or House Family CPA?
If there are any true believers in the latter, please contact me as I have several bridges and ocean front parcels in Nevada to sell you.
Bob Weir
Haymarket