The Henry County Board of Supervisors will consider a series of proposed amendments to the county’s zoning ordinance later this month, including new regulations for data centers and battery energy storage systems.
The board will hold public hearings during its Tuesday, July 28 meeting, which begins at 3 p.m. and again at 6 p.m., in the Summerlin Meeting Room of the Henry County Administration Building.
The Planning Commission recommended a flurry of amendments after a comprehensive review of the zoning ordinance, including allowing multifamily housing by right in commercial districts to encourage residential development, and several additional updates.
County officials said the changes are intended to simplify existing regulations, clarify permitted uses and special use permits, encourage appropriate development and address land uses that were not previously covered.
Among the proposals are new standards governing battery energy storage systems, commonly used to store electricity generated from renewable energy sources before it is delivered to the power grid.
The proposed ordinance would require battery storage facilities to:
Be at least 50 feet from property lines.
Meet state fire, electrical and building codes.
Limit noise to 50 decibels at the property line.
Be screened from public view.
Include fire suppression systems, emergency access and continuous safety monitoring.
Submit emergency response and decommissioning plans backed by a financial guarantee.
The proposal also would allow industries to install battery storage systems for their own operations by right, provided they meet the ordinance’s requirements.
The supervisors also will consider creating zoning standards for data centers, an industry that has expanded rapidly across Virginia.
Under the proposal, developers would have to submit a water supply impact study before rezoning or obtaining a special use permit. The study would evaluate projected water demand, the source of the water supply, potential impacts on neighboring users and drought conditions.
Other proposed requirements would:
Limit noise to 50 decibels at the property line.
Require mechanical equipment and generators to be enclosed and screened from view.
Restrict generator testing to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Require periodic noise testing throughout the life of the facility.
The board also will consider revisions to the county’s large-scale solar energy ordinance.
Among the proposed changes are requiring solar facilities to comply with the county’s noise ordinance at all times, limiting the amount of land that can be devoted to large-scale solar projects, and requiring Federal Aviation Administration approval for projects proposed within one mile of an airport.
The full text of the proposed amendments is available at https://www.henrycountyva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1748/Zoning-Ordinance-Amendments-2026-PDF?bidId= and will be included in the agenda packet for the July 28 Board of Supervisors meeting.
