Below are some questions and answers related to the July public hearings that have been rescheduled.

 

What happened?

Due to a staff procedural error, all public hearings that were held at the July 16, 2024, Board of Supervisors meeting must be reheard on Sept. 10, 2024. In addition, public hearings scheduled for the July 30, 2024, Board of Supervisors meeting are rescheduled to Sept. 10, as noted on the draft agenda, except for two hearings that are postponed to later dates.

We apologize to anyone impacted by this error and any inconvenience that it may have caused.

 

Who prepares the ads and notices for the Board’s public hearings?

County staff.

 

Does the Board have any role in this?

No.

 

When were Board members notified of the problem?

Monday, July 29, in the evening.

 

What is being done so that this does not happen again?

We will conduct a complete review of our public hearing advertisement process so that it does not happen again.

 

How will I know what time the rescheduled public hearings will occur?

Public hearings will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 10.

The public hearing on the Zoning Ordinance amendment on data centers is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

 

Who can testify and how do I sign up to provide testimony?

Members of the public can testify at any of the public hearings on Sept. 10 in person, by phone or by submitting video testimony. Sign up here.

To have a video shown during the testimony portion of the Sept. 10 public hearing, sign up for the speakers list and choose "Pre-recorded YouTube Video" for form of testimony, then submit your video no later than 9 a.m. the day prior to the public hearing. 

 

What if I testified on July 16?

Any testimony that was provided on or before July 16, 2024, will be included as part of the record for Board consideration, but all persons are invited to testify on Sept. 10.

Members of the public can:

• Add themselves to the speakers list for a public hearing on Sept. 10.
• As an alternative to appearing in person at the Sept. 10 hearing, submit a YouTube video to be shown at the Sept. 10 meeting, either using the July 16 YouTube video of themselves testifying, if accessible, or a different YouTube video.

What if I previously submitted written comments?

Written comments/testimony that has been provided will be included as part of the record for the Board. The public is invited to submit further written comments/testimony.

 

Has the Board made any decisions yet about data centers?

It is important to note that the Board of Supervisors has not acted on the Zoning Ordinance amendment nor on the issue of whether any pending site plans would be subject to any new regulations.

Furthermore, as part of the unanimously approved deferral motion on July 30, the Board also put applicants and the community on notice that any site plan accepted after July 16 is at the applicant’s own risk regarding application of the new regulations, regardless of how the Board addresses site plans accepted on or before July 16.

 

More information

Members of the community who would like additional information on the Sept. 10 Board of Supervisors public hearings can email clerktothebos@fairfaxcounty.gov.