(The Center Square) – Residents and the American Battlefield Trust are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to reject an appeal from QTS Data Centers seeking to revive the blocked Digital Gateway data center project near Manassas National Battlefield Park.
The filing asks the court to reject an appeal from entities tied to QTS Data Centers, which is continuing the case after Prince William County spent more than $1.7 million in taxpayer money defending the rezonings before stepping back from the legal fight.
The dispute centers on whether Prince William County properly followed Virginia’s public notice requirements before approving rezonings tied to the proposed data center corridor in December 2023.
The Court of Appeals of Virginia ruled March 31 that the county violated Virginia’s public notice law and its zoning ordinance requirements.
The court ruled the notice defects made the rezonings legally invalid.
Court and county planning records tied to the case show the combined rezonings would allow over 22 million square feet of data center development across multiple sites.
According to the opposition brief filed with the Virginia Supreme Court, the county’s advertisements ran Dec. 2, Dec. 5 and Dec. 9 for hearings that began Dec. 12. Opponents say they failed to meet required notice timelines under state law and county zoning rules.
The filing also says rezoning documents referenced in the public notices were not available until Dec. 7, after the first two advertisements had already run.
Opponents further say developer-side attorneys advised the county to move forward with the Dec. 12 hearing despite the notice issues.
QTS says the rezonings were improperly invalidated over notice violations the company considers technical.
The developer has also said the project would bring investment, jobs and future tax revenue to Prince William County.
The case stems from two separate lawsuits challenging the Digital Gateway rezonings and the county’s approval process.
One lawsuit was brought by the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and nearby residents. That case went to trial before Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving, who voided the rezonings in 2025.
A second lawsuit was filed by residents Katy Burke, Liam Burke and others, along with the American Battlefield Trust. That case was initially dismissed before the Court of Appeals reversed the decision earlier this year.
The Virginia Supreme Court case could affect more than the Digital Gateway project because it may help determine how strictly local governments across the commonwealth must follow zoning notice laws before approving major rezonings.
QTS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
