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  • By-Right Data Centers Are Over | Supervisors Block a $300M Dominion Station | First Friday's Future Is Still Unsettled

By-Right Data Centers Are Over | Supervisors Block a $300M Dominion Station | First Friday's Future Is Still Unsettled

30 Sep

Issue #26-273

In this Go Prince William County, Va Issue…

Fall Jubilee weekend — and bring a jacket. 🍂

In this Go Prince William County, Va Issue… supervisors ended by-right data center development countywide, Dominion's $300 million Vint Hill station got voted down the same night, and First Friday's future is still unsettled. Downstairs: the 43rd Manassas Fall Jubilee, the Fire & Rescue Expo at Pfitzner Stadium, Youth For Tomorrow's Country Fair, Barktoberfest at Tackett's Mill, and a weekend that opens at 88 degrees and ends in the rain. Saturday's showers hold off until about 2 PM, so go early.

— Bryan

Next up in Woodbridge: Wednesday, October 7. A free monthly meetup for non-technical business owners who want to actually use AI, not just hear about it. Brickyard Cowork, 2700 Neabsco Common Place #101, 5:30–7:30 PM. Save your seat.

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Quick Bites

  • By-Right Data Centers Are Over

    The Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously on Sept. 22 to end a decade-old policy that let data centers be built by right, without board approval. Every future project now needs a special use permit. The board also shrank the Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District from roughly 9,700 acres to about 3,500, pulling out Jiffy Lube Live, the school division's land on Minnieville Road for a planned 14th high school, and the 2,100-acre former Digital Gateway site. Developers get a 90-day grace period before the new rules bite. The county currently counts 57 completed data center buildings with dozens more planned or under construction. (Prince William Times)

  • Supervisors Block a $300M Dominion Station

    The same night, supervisors unanimously denied Dominion Energy's special use permit for a $300 million upgrade to its Vint Hill switching station — new transformers, 135-foot towers and two 40-foot buildings, across Vint Hill Road from the Braemar neighborhood. The added capacity was largely for data centers. Dozens of Braemar residents organized against it, joined by state Sen. Danica Roem and Del. Elizabeth Guzman. Supervisor Tom Gordy told Dominion, "Every neighborhood that you have reached out to has mentioned a lack of transparency." A Dominion spokesman said afterward that "all options could be on the table," including greenfield sites or new transmission corridors. (Prince William Times)

  • First Friday's Future Is Still Unsettled

    Manassas City Council took up the future of First Friday at a Sept. 21 work session and did not land on a yes or no. October's event is already paused after the Sept. 4 shooting in Old Town that killed 16-year-old Ashley Intihar, a Patriot High School student. Ideas floated included magnetometers and bag checks, more police, tightening or scrapping the downtown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, and pushing for state gun-law changes. Council member Theresa Coates Ellis said the city is "not just sitting worrying about metal detectors." November 6 remains tentatively on Historic Manassas Inc.'s calendar. (Potomac Local News)

Upcoming Local Events

Weather

Friday

88 🌡️ 62 | 🌤️ | 0% | 💨 SW 2-5 mph

Saturday

73 🌡️ 59 | 🌦️ | 50% | 💨 N-NE 5-7 mph

Sunday

69 🌡️ 54 | 🌧️ | 70% | 💨 S-SW 3-7 mph

Nightlife, Libations & Live Music

10/02/26 - Friday

10/03/26 - Saturday

  • Gainesville | 🎶 | CraftWorx Taproom | Zac Quintana | 7 PM

  • Gainesville | 🎶 | Rockwood | Studio 31 | [unverified]

  • Haymarket | 🎶 | The Winery at La Grange | Pete Baker | 1 - 4 PM

  • Manassas | 🎉 | Eavesdrop Brewery | Fall Festival at Eavesdrop | 11 AM

  • Manassas | 🎶 | Eavesdrop Brewery | Period 8 | 12 PM

  • Manassas | 🎶 | Eavesdrop Brewery | No Quick Fix | 5 PM

  • Manassas | 🎸 | Hylton Performing Arts Center | Nothin' Fancy (bluegrass) | 5 PM & 8 PM

  • Manassas | 🎶 | Salisbury Center | Back and Forth | 8 PM

  • Manassas Park | 🎶 | Preston's Pub | Shillelagh | 8 PM

  • Nokesville | 🎶 | Heritage / Effingham Manor | Burd Boonyoo | 2 - 5 PM

  • Nokesville | 🎶 | Nokesville Winery | Live Music | 5 - 8 PM

  • Woodbridge | 🎉 | Veterans Growing America | SLAY the Moment. COMMAND Your Next Move. | 6:30 PM

10/04/26 - Sunday