Board of Supervisors to Consider County Land Sale Resulting in New Public Safety Training Facilities and an Increased Tax Basis from Private Development

The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on March 17 to consider whether to sell a portion of underutilized county-owned property to a private developer for data center use. The property is located at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly.

The site is in an established industrial corridor near Dulles Airport surrounded by office parks, and other data centers. No residential development is planned or anticipated for the site.

The proposed Purchase and Sale Agreement would allow Fairfax County to sell approximately 41.7 acres of the 128-acre property to a private data center developer for $166.8 million. The site remains an important location for police training, but the current facilities are spread out in a way that leaves portions of the property underutilized. By moving and grouping these facilities together, the county can free up land to sell. The funds from the sale will defray costs to ensure Fairfax County has a modern police training facility.

Supporting Economic Sustainability and Diversifying Revenue

Fairfax County relies heavily on residential real estate taxes, which make up more than 75% of the county’s assessment base. The proposed land sale offers an opportunity to diversify county revenue sources.

Future development of the site is expected to generate significant ongoing tax revenue for the county’s General Fund. While the estimated tax revenue will depend on the final design and development of the data center, we anticipate in excess of $20 million in tax revenue the first year after completion of the project.

Funding Modern Public Safety Facilities

Proceeds from the sale are planned to support the replacement of the aged police training facilities on the Stonecroft property.

The proposed county development includes a new Criminal Justice Academy, firearms training facilities, driver training infrastructure, K-9 training areas and related site improvements. Police training operations are expected to continue without major interruption.

What a Potential March Vote Would Mean

The community will have the opportunity to provide public comments during the March 17 public hearing before the Board decides whether to enter the Purchase and Sale Agreement. Approval of the agreement does not approve construction of a data center.