OFP Shareholder John McBride recently assisted landowners, Prince William County Staff, and two contract purchasers – QTS Realty Trust, Inc. and Compass Datacenters – in amending the Comprehensive Plan so that 1,332 acres of data centers and 807 acres of parks and open space on 2,139 acres may be located along Pageland Lane in the County’s western end, known as the Prince William Digital Gateway.
The all-night, 14-hour public meeting drew over 200 speakers – and substantial debate – regarding the merits of the Prince William Digital Gateway CPA proposal. By a vote of 5-2, the proposal gained approval, clearing the way for up to 27 million square feet of data center use, with at least 807 acres to be preserved for parks, open space, and historic preservation.
“The Comprehensive Plan Amendment is a detailed, 50-page Plan that balances job creation and commercial investment with environmental and cultural resource protection. The Pageland Lane corridor was the only significant opportunity left for Prince William to substantially increase its commercial tax revenue and create a more robust local economy for the future. The challenge was to adopt a Plan which carefully balanced private commercial investment and jobs with parks, public open space and mitigation of impacts on environmental and cultural resources. This Plan meets this challenge and sets a new standard for large scale commercial development.”
The county expects its data center revenue to increase from $80 million to between $400 million and $700 million annually, once full buildout of data centers are operational by 2040.