Loudoun Now for Feb. 8, 2024

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n LOUDOUN

4 | n EDUCATION

10 | n PUBLIC SAFETY

14 | n PUBLIC NOTICES

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SUMMER CAMP GUIDE INSIDE

VOL. 9, NO. 13

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FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Supervisors Begin Overhaul of Data Center Rules BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday formally launched an accelerated planning and zoning review process intended to impose new restrictions on data center development. The program envisions simultaneous revisions to the county’s comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance to restrict where data centers can be built, establish new standards for their design, better address neighborhood impacts, and, perhaps most significantly, give supervisors more control over the industry’s rapid expansion. The county planning staff outlined a 16-month process that would bring the new policies to the board for a vote by mid-2025. On Tuesday, supervisors carved out two aspects of the work plan to move on a fast-tracked pace. Under the proposal, by this summer the Planning Commission would begin review of a new map that will better define where data centers can—and cannot—be built. Also targeted for work by this summer is a proposal by Supervisor Michael Turner (D-Ashburn) to require special exception review for new data centers, giving the Board of Supervisors “managerial oversight” of the projects. The action comes as community concerns grow about the impact of data centers and the new power line projects that are DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT continues on page 40

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

The crowd at the public hearing leading up to the School Board adopting a $1.8 billion FY 2025 budget.

School Board Adopts $1.8B Budget, Adds Virtual Distance Elementary BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnow.com

The Loudoun County School Board on Tuesday adopted a $1.8 billion fiscal year 2025 budget, including last minute changes to fully implement a full day STEP preschool program, reinstate Virtual Loudoun Elementary for grades 1-5, and increase special education support. After review during three work sessions over the past three weeks, the final budget was approved on an 8-1 vote, Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) opposed, with some last-minute tweaks.

Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) proposed an amendment to fully implement the full-day Starting Towards Excellence in Preschool, or STEP, program rather than a phased approach. That action required a $567,650 increase and the addition of five full-time equivalent positions. “I’m proud to bring this amendment forward to my colleagues, we have a chance to support STEP in its fully proposed rollout for the full-day program rather than the original phased approach in the [proposed budget]. Last week, I met with the director of English learners as well as the Head Start and STEP

supervisor to learn more about these programs and after that meeting, I was convinced that this should be a priority in the FY25 budget,” she said. STEP is a state preschool initiative grant and locally funded program that serves four-year-old children from low-income families. The superintendent had asked for six FTEs and $909,060 to have 160 students participate in full day preschool this year and 160 participate in half day. He planned to add those 160

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SCHOOLS BUDGET continues on page 40

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