Henrico Planning Commission recommends denial of storage facility, plans work session on data centers

At its April 10 meeting, the Henrico Planning Commission recommended denial for a request for a ProSafe self-storage facility at the intersection of Magellan Parkway and Brook Road, next to the Biltmore neighborhood and the Retreat at One condo community. The site currently holds a former Virginia DMV office building, vacated in 2023. This proposed 33,000-square-foot facility would be accessed through the existing entrance on Magellan Parkway.

Area residents who spoke on the case all opposed it, pointing to numerous other self-storage facilities in the area and a lack of positive impact to the area. Fairfield Commissioner Jaron Dandridge similarly noted the large number of facilities in the area and that the Fairfield District had the largest number of storage facilities in the county.

The proposal next will be heard by the Henrico Board of Supervisors at its May 13 meeting.

At the request of the board of supervisors, the commission also scheduled a work session at 4:30 p.m. before its May 15 meeting to discuss how the county’s zoning code regulates data centers and any changes that it may recommend to the board.

Commissioners especially will focus on situations in which a data center can be built without separate approval from the county. The commission also will hold a public hearing on this topic, likely at the same meeting, potentially with the board in attendance.