Orange County officials are advancing a proposed zoning change aimed at regulating how data centers could be developed in the county, as leaders work to modernize land-use policies and establish clear standards before large-scale technology projects move forward.

The proposed Technology (T) Zoning District, developed by the Orange County Planning Commission, would create a zoning classification and accompanying regulations specifically tailored to data center development. The district is intended to provide a structured review process and establish standards that address the unique scale and operational demands of these facilities.

Planning Commission members refined the draft Technology District during two work sessions held Nov. 6 and Nov. 20, 2025. According to county planning documents, the district establishes a defined purpose and intent for regulating data centers and outlines permitted uses by right and by special use permit, along with regulations governing setbacks, buffers, building height, signage, and use-specific operational standards.

Local officials say the Technology District is designed to ensure data center development is governed through a dedicated zoning framework, rather than broader industrial zoning rules.

During the Dec. 16 public hearing, J. Bryan Nicol, who represents District Five, said the Technology District is part of a broader effort by the county to modernize its zoning ordinance.

“We actually put on our priorities in January 2024 that we were going to look at the zoning ordinance and modernize it, and we are still in that process almost two years later,” Nicol said. “It’s important to understand that the hard work has been happening. Our Planning Commission has been thorough and thoughtful and has listened.”

Nicol emphasized that land-use policy—not promotion of data centers—is the focus of the district.

“The most important thing to understand is that this is about land use,” he said. “This is about land-use policies that guide how we are going to work through these issues.” Nicol also addressed concerns raised by residents regarding environmental impacts, including water usage and waste disposal.

“We’ve talked about water. We’re not going to use water—we aren’t going to use our water,” Nicol said. “We understand how important it is to have water resources that are protected.”

He noted that Orange County’s landfill does not accept electronic waste associated with data centers.
“Our landfill does not take electronic waste,” Nicol said. “There’s not a server or anything in a data center that has waste that will go in our Orange County landfill. That is the rule in Orange County, and I want everyone to know that.”

Drawing from conversations with officials in Northern Virginia, specifically Loudoun County, Nicol said Orange County has sought to learn from jurisdictions that allowed data center development without sufficient zoning controls.

“I personally have learned some lessons from Loudoun County,” he said. “They treated data centers like office buildings with no restrictions, and they are paying a pretty severe price with their citizenry.”
Nicol said tying the Technology District to a special use permit process provides the county with flexibility while preserving its rural character.

“If you think about a Technology District associated with a special use permit, that gives us maximum flexibility,” he said. “It allows us to keep Orange rural. It allows us to comply with what we view as the beauty of this county and look at these proposals in that context.”

He described the district as an opportunity to establish guardrails before any applications are submitted.
“This is an opportunity for us to put the guardrails, the guidelines, and the measures in place so that we move forward in a way that protects us,” Nicol said. “We’re moving from the Wild West to a different scenario that we can understand, analyze, and make decisions that are in the best interest of Orange County.”

Following the Planning Commission’s work on the draft ordinance, the Technology District proposal has been forwarded to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for consideration.

If adopted, the Technology District would establish a roadmap for how data center development could be evaluated and regulated in Orange County going forward.

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