Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Committee Meeting - October 7, 2026

The Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Committee (ZOC) met on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in the Dulles Room of the Government Center. The committee approved the September action report, recommended floodplain overlay zoning amendments, received status updates on data center, cannabis, and other zoning ordinance amendments, and re-elected its chair and vice chair. No public input was offered.

Call to Order and Administrative Items

• ZOC moved agenda item 7 (Floodplain Overlay District) up to follow item 4; members agreed.
• No public input and no disclosures were reported.
• The September 2, 2026 action report was approved after the chair noted that public input submitted by Mara had been omitted. The chair also said Mara had alerted the committee that submitted public comments had not been included in ZOC action reports for roughly the last three years. Staff was asked to review the issue and report back at the next meeting.
• New members introduced: Madeline Skinner (preservation/conservation organizations), Michelle Rosati (a building industry association), and Ben Wales (Economic Development Advisory Group).

Floodplain Overlay District Amendments

• Staff member Maggie Howard presented the proposal to replace the Floodplain Overlay District regulations in Chapter 5 with revised floodplain provisions in Chapter 6 as an environmental feature. The package also includes an associated development ordinance amendment and FSM amendments.
• Staff said ZOC comments and agency referral comments were incorporated; one item remained in disagreement, and the committee's requested accessory-structure language was included in the second motion.
• A member noted that ZOC had previously voted to add active recreation as a use in the major floodplain, but TLUC did not accept that change.
• The committee amended the first motion to direct staff to include accessory structures to an existing single-family detached dwelling as a permitted use under the new floodplain regulations.
• The committee approved the recommended motion and the associated zoning ordinance amendment on voice votes; staff reported the vote counts as 8-1-6 (8 in favor, 1 opposed, 6 absent) for both.
• Staff said the item is expected to go to a Board of Supervisors resolution of intent to amend in November, with Planning Commission review targeted for January/February 2027. Mandatory notices will be sent to affected floodplain property owners and adjacent owners.

Data Center Standards and Locations - Phase 2 Update

• Staff gave a status update on CPAM-2025-0001/ZOAM-2024-0001. Two open houses were held September 28 and 30, 2026.
• Proposed ZOAM changes include revised data center use standards, new electrical substation standards (AIS, GIS, and hybrid), on-site power generation standards, battery energy storage standards, and new or revised definitions.
• Several design standards would move from the zoning ordinance to the Comprehensive Plan and be applied as guidelines by the Board during special exception review.
• Some members expressed concern that moving design standards to the Comprehensive Plan gives the Board too much discretion because the Comprehensive Plan is often treated as a suggestion rather than a requirement.
• Members also questioned limiting detailed standards to battery storage and the 5 MW capacity cap in the IP district. Staff said other energy storage technologies are not categorically barred, but detailed standards have only been developed for battery storage because of available information and application history.
• Staff said the ROIA is targeted for December 2026, Planning Commission review for February 2027, and a public hearing around June/September 2027, subject to change.

Cannabis Regulation ZOAM-2026-0006

• Planner Kayla Peloquin reviewed Virginia House Bill 30, enacted June 2026, which creates a regulated adult-use marijuana market, authorizes the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to license establishments, and preserves limited local zoning authority.
• Key dates: the Board adopted its resolution of intent in April 2026; Planning Commission public hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2026; Board of Supervisors public hearing is anticipated in early 2027; license applications begin February 1, 2027; licenses may be issued May 1, 2027; retail sales begin July 1, 2027.
• The draft would add marijuana uses to zoning districts, add use-specific standards, and amend definitions. The proposal retains the state's 1,000-foot minimum distance from schools, hospitals, child day programs, and institutions of higher education, and proposes 8 a.m.-11 p.m. hours of sale.
• Staff proposed definitions for indoor and outdoor cultivation. Outdoor canopy is limited under state licensing to about 10,000 square feet, indoor to about 35,000 square feet, and a secured agricultural greenhouse counts as indoor cultivation.
• Several members argued the county should restrict marijuana-related uses to as few zoning districts as state law allows and should not adopt an overly permissive starting point, noting that once licenses are issued they cannot easily be pulled back.
• Other discussion points included the zoning districts of existing medical dispensaries, potential conflicts with the Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards work, right-to-farm considerations, water consumption, agritourism, double-licensing questions, and public consumption rules.
• One member noted the state will issue no more than 350 licenses statewide, generally apportioned by population density, and that this was an increase from an earlier proposal of about 100 licenses.
• Staff acknowledged the compressed timeline, noting the legislation passed through the budget process and draft regulations were released only about two weeks earlier. Staff agreed to gather comments and research the zoning classifications of existing medical dispensaries for the November 4 ZOC meeting.

Other Status Updates

• Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Adjustments #1: Information item only. Staff said work is delayed by workload, with a tentative goal of winter 2026; the ROIA is already complete. Members noted the quick fixes are needed before subsequent fast-track amendments.
• Placards (ZOAM-2026-0003): Approved at the September 9, 2026 Board of Supervisors public hearing. The chair said ZOC concerns about placard size, content, and QR codes are still being reviewed with PAC.
• Affordable Housing by Tax-Exempt Religious and Nonprofit Organizations (ZOAM-2026-0004): Approved at the September 22, 2026 Planning Commission public hearing; scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing November 12, 2026, with possible Board adoption December 1, 2026. Staff said the number of potentially eligible properties is limited, though the exact number was not clearly stated in the meeting.
• Western Loudoun Rural Uses and Standards (WLRUS): Meetings are proceeding on schedule, with some adjustments to accommodate Planning Commission workload. The Mountainside Overlay District meeting was described as spirited and ran long; a motion from the August 24 meeting will be revisited and separated into individual votes as time allows.

Committee Membership and Elections

• Three ZOC seats remain vacant: the DAR representative, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce representative, and the environmental organization representative.
• The current chair and vice chair were nominated and re-elected by voice vote; the tally was reported as 9-0-6 (9 in favor, 0 opposed, 6 absent).

Next Meetings

• November 4, 2026, 9:00 a.m., Dulles Conference Room
• December 2, 2026, 9:00 a.m., Dulles Conference Room

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 2, 2026 action report with a commitment to address omitted public comments.
• Recommended Board adoption of the floodplain overlay zoning amendment, including the accessory-structures addition, and approved the related zoning ordinance amendment on voice votes; staff tallies were 8-1-6.
• Received updates on data center standards, zoning ordinance rewrite adjustments, placards, affordable housing, and WLRUS; no formal ZOC motions were taken on those updates.
• Directed staff to compile cannabis-related zoning comments and research existing medical dispensary zoning classifications for the November 4 meeting.
• Re-elected the chair and vice chair for the coming term.