The Suffolk City Council is scheduled to consider a motion on Sept. 2, 2026, that would direct the city’s Planning Commission to draft an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance prohibiting data centers as a use in all zoning districts, according to the published agenda.
The agenda states that Council Member Wright moved the measure, with a second from Council Member Williams. According to the official record, the motion calls on the Planning Commission to draft an ordinance amendment that would bar data centers from being sited in any zoning district within the city.
The item matters to Suffolk residents because it addresses whether data center facilities — a use type increasingly proposed in localities across Virginia — would be permitted anywhere within city limits under the zoning code. The agenda item is listed as a Council Vote matter for the Sept. 2 meeting.
- Meeting date: Sept. 2, 2026, in Suffolk, VA
- Motion made by: Council Member Wright
- Seconded by: Council Member Williams
- Action requested: Direct Planning Commission to draft a Unified Development Ordinance amendment
- Proposed effect: Prohibit data centers as a use in all zoning districts
- Item type: Council Vote
According to the agenda, the council is scheduled to consider the motion at the Sept. 2, 2026 meeting. If approved, the matter would proceed to the Planning Commission for drafting of a formal ordinance amendment, per the process outlined in the motion language.
Residents can review the full agenda item and attend the Sept. 2, 2026 Suffolk City Council meeting to observe deliberations or submit public comment, in accordance with standard city council meeting procedures.
Official source: the published record