The Prince William County Board of Supervisors made a decisive decision in regard to the planned PW Digital Gateway project. The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to withdraw from appealing the lawsuit over the controversial data center project, InsideNoVA reported.
The Digital Gateway would have created the largest data center corridor in the world. The plan included 37 data centers spanning more than 22 million square feet. The development was planned for land directly next to the Manassas National Battlefield Park.
The Board of Supervisors narrowly approved the project in 2023 after a 27-hour public hearing. It’s been the subject of significant controversy. Local land conservation groups and nearby homeowners have voiced strong objections to the plan.
Legal Challenges
Two main legal challenges emerged: one from the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and one from the American Battlefield Trust. The lawsuits argued that the county did not adhere to notice requirements when advertising public hearings before the vote.
In August, circuit court judge Kimberly Irving agreed with the plaintiffs in the Oak Valley suit and said the rezonings were void.
The county and both data center developers involved — QTS and Compass — appealed the ruling to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Both lawsuits were consolidated and shared combined oral arguments before the Virginia Court of Appeals in February. On March 31, the Court of Appeals upheld Irving’s verdict.
As of March 31, Prince William County had spent about $1.7 million to defend the project, The Prince William Times reported.
While the county will no longer participate in the appeals, QTS and Compass could still file an appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court.
Feature image of Manassas National Battlefield Park courtesy Zack Frank/stock.adobe.com
