New E-Commerce Overlay District Meets Distribution and Fulfillment Industry Demand

Last week, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously to pass a Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) with better definitions and performance standards for distribution and fulfillment centers as well as the creation of an E-Commerce Overlay District.

Led by the direction of the county’s Planning Office, the new language is attractive for targeted industries, including advanced logistics and e-commerce distribution companies.

"The nature of the retail shopping industry has drastically changed in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic substantially increased the demand in the marketplace for direct shipment to end users,” said Tom Flynn, deputy director at Prince William County Department of Economic Development. “Thank you to the Planning Office for better positioning Prince William County as a first-class location for logistics and distribution businesses.”

By setting up development standards that address the nuances between ‘distribution and fulfillment’ versus ‘neighborhood retail and fulfillment,’ the Planning Office is excited to have better tools available for addressing applicant questions. 

"Previous definitions we had did not fit the uses we kept seeing in applications,” said Parag Agrawal, director of Prince William County Planning Office. “This updated language gives us a roadmap for growth. Not only do we have better parameters for defining new sites, but also understanding of how and where we expect to grow in the overlay.” 

“The staff presented compelling, concise evidence and reasoning behind this change,” said Ann B. Wheeler, Chair-at-Large, Prince William Board of County Supervisors. “I am thrilled to have reached an unanimous decision and the opportunity to continue providing a business-friendly climate that eliminates any road blocks for new businesses choosing Prince William County.” 

Join the Planning Office for an open house on Wednesday, October 13 at 5:30 p.m. in acknowledgement of National Community Planning Month.

The open house is an opportunity for the public to interface with staff from the Planning Office, the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, the Department of Development Services, and the Department of Economic Development about projects and initiatives in the County.