This text was taken from an email alert sent out on October 20, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
Happy fall! Summer was busy in Loudoun, with even more to come this fall. Read on for data center, agrivoltaics, transportation, rural zoning and water updates, as well as upcoming opportunities to weigh in on important issues impacting your community!
All of this work, and our success in it, depends on your passion, engagement and action. We were so impressed by this summer’s wave of resident engagement. You turned out to speak at public hearings on the proposed Golden to Mars Line, organized community meetings around the Lucketts Bypass and submitted heartfelt comments to the Board of Supervisors on numerous applications. So, thank you!
We are also grateful for the generous financial support of so many, which makes it possible for PEC to have staff working on the ground, directly with the people of our communities. Please consider making a donation or becoming a PEC Member.
Data Center Updates
SCC Transmission Line Case
Across two public hearings in September on the proposed “Golden to Mars” transmission line, nearly 1,000 people packed the auditorium at Rock Ridge High School and about 80 speakers testified before the State Corporation Commission (SCC). Almost everyone advocated for undergrounding this data-center-driven line, a position PEC supports as a respondent in the case.
In a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 16, the county’s engineers and HOAs unveiled a joint proposal they developed for an alternate underground route and that PEC and other respondents have supported. Together, we are urging Dominion and the data centers to work with the community to support the county’s underground plan for a real solution that lessens the impacts on residents and the conservation resources in the area.
PEC will participate in SCC’s evidentiary hearing on Dec. 15 at 10:00 a.m., when the final public comment period will occur by telephone. You can submit written comments or pre-register for telephone testimony until 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 9. Transcripts of the hearings and 600+ written comments are available in the case documents.
Background: Golden to Mars is a proposed power line for data centers in eastern Loudoun that would bring high-voltage infrastructure closer than ever to dense suburban communities. Read More →
🗓️ SCC Public Comment Window closes – Dec. 9
🗓️ SCC Evidentiary Hearing – Dec. 15
Electrical Infrastructure Plan
Members of the Department of Planning & Zoning staff have drafted Loudoun’s first Electrical Infrastructure Plan, which will amend the Comprehensive Plan to address transmission lines. In the first of two phases of work, staff members have mapped existing and approved transmission corridors (see map below) and outlined best practice guidelines, including minimizing impacts to sensitive areas, enhancing natural and recreational uses and modernizing or colocating existing infrastructure before building new lines.
PEC provided detailed comments and supports changes that will give the county a stronger position with the SCC on transmission line siting. The Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Background: An Electrical Infrastructure Plan is one of the key ways a locality can influence the siting of transmission lines. Loudoun is creating one for the first time. Read More →
🗓️ Planning Commission Public Hearing – Oct. 28
Phase 2 Data Center Standards
County staff finally have direction on the desired scope of new data center and electrical substation standards! The Board of Supervisors has approved a 14-month project with 15 priorities and an expected completion by December 2026. Staff will propose policies and regulations addressing key issues, including onsite and backup power, sustainability, screening and setbacks, noise, and architectural and lighting standards. The Board also recommended that new standards prohibit more data centers in the County’s Transition Policy Area.
The county’s outreach to the community on changes will begin in early 2026 and draft amendments are expected by May.
Background: Loudoun County is updating its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to address data centers and substations. Phase 1, approved in March, requires legislative applications – with public hearings – for all data centers. Phase 2, initiated in April, encourages higher performance standards. Read More →
Are You Concerned about Data Centers?
Join PEC at local government meetings! New data center applications are stillbeing considered, and, with over a dozen in the legislative process, your voice is crucial for resident-centered solutions and balanced planning. Find application information on our development tracker and on county meeting agendas, or email [email protected] for guidance.
Agrivoltaics Announcement
PEC has launched Virginia’s first crop-based agrivoltaics demonstration project at our Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows in Aldie! Agrivoltaics is the dual use of farm land to produce both food and energy from solar panels. Our quarter-acre installation features 42 solar panels with vegetable crops planted between them – in the ground and in raised beds (meant to illustrate applicability in urban or other impervious locations). We’re happy to report that the crops are growing and the solar panels are now fully operational, producing enough electricity to power all farm operations and charge backup batteries (which kept us operational even when the grid went down recently).
Well-constructed smaller-scale solar energy has an important role to play in shaping and advancing Virginia’s clean energy future in ways that also respect and preserve this region’s natural resources and rural economy. Thoughtfully developed agrivoltaics that incorporate best practices to minimize land impacts allows our rural economies to thrive by protecting farm businesses from escalating electric bills, diversifying their revenue streams and achieving energy independence.
We hope the project will serve to provide proof of concept to inform dual land use projects and distributed generation policy in Virginia, as well as function as a demonstration site that local farmers, installers, developers and policymakers can visit.
Watch our three short video updates about the agrivoltaics project and learn more on our website →
Route 15 Bypass Update
At a community meeting on Oct. 8, Loudoun County eliminated all Lucketts bypass options except Alternatives 1 and 1A (see map).
PEC opposes widening U.S. Route 15 and bypassing Lucketts, basedon evidence that these approaches in general induce more traffic, increase speeds and spur nearby development, negating their intended purpose and wasting taxpayer money. (The proposed Route 15 bypass alone is ~$300 million.)
An effective approach must prioritize community desires to reduce traffic on Route 15 and surrounding roads and preserve the area’s rural character over the desires of Maryland commuters working in eastern Loudoun or Fairfax. Virginia State Route 9 and U.S. Route 50 have demonstrated that innovative and cost-effective solutions that support local needs, enhance safety, improve access, and ensure travel time reliability without increasing overall traffic are possible.
If you share our concerns, we encourage you to review the county website materials and submit comments by Friday, Oct. 24.
Background: The Lucketts Bypass is part of a broader corridor plan for U.S. Route. 15, from Leesburg to the Maryland state line, which consists of six projects. Read More →
See our summer update for more background information on the Lucketts Bypass.
Rural Updates
Mountainside Protection
Loudoun communities are blessed with the Blue Ridge, Bull Run and Catoctin mountains, and the Loudoun Valley as their backdrop. Balancing the protection of views, forests and watersheds with the pressure for development of housing, entertainment venues and other commercial ventures is the focus of several areas of Loudoun County policy.
During the fifth Western Loudoun Standards and Uses (WLRUS) stakeholders meeting, Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC) staff led a lively roundtable discussion about the Mountainside Overlay District in an effort to spur discussion that will inform their revisions to the existing outdated ordinance. PEC provided detailed input prior to the meeting. The committee also discussed regulations for signage and found broad agreement from stakeholders.
The Mountain Overlay District conversations focused on tree canopy protections, safe development distance from natural features like ridgelines and springs, and regulations surrounding the variety of slopes found in the district.
Background: The Mountain Overlay District is a vital natural resource, home to the largest stand of undisturbed tree canopy in the county. It serves all of Loudoun by stabilizing the soils, preventing landslides and lowering runoff, and provides an important groundwater recharge area for our headwater streams. The Mountain Overlay District visually establishes a lower scale of development and sets a strong sense of place that our residents prize and our rural businesses depend upon.
It is vital we take this opportunity to strengthen protections for this priceless county asset. Please add your voice to the discussion by submitting thoughts on the official Western Loudoun Standards and Uses comment form.
One more thing: Many issues on the table for discussion during the Mountainside Overlay District review are exemplified by a new commercial development proposal located in the Mountain Overlay District near Paris Mountain. We will keep everyone informed once the development application is formally submitted.
Bed & Breakfast, Events & Food Service
At the next stakeholder meeting on Oct. 22, the Transportation and Land Use Committee will once again take up the topic of Bed and Breakfast regulations, with a more specific focus on unresolved issues around events. For many residents, events are the issue that most negatively impacts their quality of life. We anticipate key questions about what constitutes an event, the hours they can take place, the number of people allowed based on venue size, and an acceptable volume of traffic on rural access roads.
At the seventh meeting, planned for Nov. 5, the Transportation and Land Use Committee will discuss Food Service in western Loudoun, which we expect will address the standalone restaurant use as well as food services permitted at farms, wineries and other businesses. For many rural businesses, the ability to offer food alongside farm products or craft beverages is key for a high-quality experience for customers, so it is vital that the county supports this use.
Background: Loudoun County is updating its outdated Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to address standards for rural uses. While agritourism uses such as limited breweries have been added to the ordinance in the last decade or so, it has not been fully updated in more than 20 years to properly support the agricultural-based businesses of western Loudoun. Read More →
🗓️ Meeting 6: Bed & Breakfasts – Oct. 22
🗓️ Meeting 7: Food Service – Nov. 5
Water Updates
Groundwater Study
A new study by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition’s (LCPCC) Agriculture Workgroup revealed that over the last several decades, Loudoun County’s groundwater conditions have worsened due to increased development and periodic droughts, so that groundwater is now in a state of overuse. The report informs the need for more public education, better monitoring and analysis, and protective practices that honor groundwater limitations.
Preserving groundwater is critical for clean drinking water and healthy ecosystems. Western Loudoun’s drinking water, for both residents and businesses (in towns, villages and elsewhere), primarily comes from groundwater aquifers. Groundwater also helps to maintain the healthy ecosystems that support clean water, air, climate resilience and other life-sustaining functions, underscoring the importance of recharge that occurs in undisturbed natural environments like the Mountain Overlay District.
Background: A watershed is an area of land that drains rain and snowmelt into a common stream system or into the ground. Both above and below ground systems are crucial in a watershed and they are connected. Groundwater aquifers supply 30% of the water in streams, ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water. In western Loudoun specifically, groundwater also supplies over 15,000 household and community wells.
Groundwater recharge occurs in the soil and upper layer above the bedrock. When groundwater is depleted faster than it can be replenished, the water table drops, and wells may go dry. Deeper wells may be drilled as a result, but they access more limited water sources.
Upcoming Events
If you’re out and about in the Piedmont this fall, we’d love to see you at our upcoming in-person PEC and partner events!
- Oct. 25: Unscripted Futures with PEC Energy & Climate Advisor, Ashish Kapoor, at TEDx Warrenton
- Oct. 25: Community Farm Heirloom Corn Grinding Demonstration at Burwell Morgan Mill
- Oct. 31: Corpse Botany Walk at Piedmont Memorial Overlook
Volunteer with us!
There are still a couple more opportunities to plant trees with our Plantings for the Piedmont program this year!
- Oct. 28: Tree Planting at The Ecovillage of Loudoun (Lovettsville, VA)
- Nov. 14: Tree Planting at Rappahannock County Park (Washington, VA)
Take action with us!
There are numerous meetings and open comment windows where you can make your voice heard.
Note: Meeting dates are subject to change. Please check the meeting organizer’s website the day of the event to confirm that the meeting is still happening.
- Oct. 22: WLRUS Meeting 6 on Bed & Breakfasts
- Oct. 24: Deadline to submit comments on the Route 15 Lucketts Bypass
- Oct. 23: Public Information Meeting on the Franklin Park Expansion
- Oct. 28: Planning Commission Public Hearing on the Loudoun Electrical Infrastructure Plan
- Oct 28: Community Meeting on the Paeonian Springs and Waterford Interconnected Water/Wastewater Systems
- Nov. 5: WLRUS Meeting 7 on Food Service
- Dec. 9: Deadline to submit comments to the SCC on the Golden to Mars transmission line
- Dec. 15: SCC Evidentiary Hearing on the Golden to Mars transmission line
Learn more with us!
PEC will be hosting a series of town halls on pressing issues in Loudoun through the turn of the year.
- In December, watch for a meeting on Solar & Net Metering.
- In January, join us as we prepare for the General Assembly session.
- Also look for meetings about Groundwater in the next few months and on Data Centers as Phase 2 revisions begin.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement in your community and with PEC. Please let us know if there are other topics you’d like to see included in future updates and feel free to contact the Loudoun team with any questions.
If you know anyone who would like to receive these email updates about Loudoun County, please forward this email to them and let them know they can sign up for updates here.
Sincerely,
Gem Bingol
Loudoun County Senior Land Use Field Representative
540-347-2334 x7041
[email protected]
Tia Earman
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Loudoun and Clarke Counties
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 x7040
Emily Johnson
Land Use Field Representative
Loudoun County
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 x7044
P.S. You can reach all three of us by emailing [email protected]!