Spartanburg County Zoning Appeals Board Denies Data Center Proposal
A development company's proposal for a 60-megawatt data center in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, was denied for a second and final time by the Board of Zoning Appeals. The denial was based on non-compliance with county ordinances and an introduced data center moratorium. Residents expressed gratitude for the decision, while the developer criticized the county's changed stance.
The Spartanburg County Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously rejected Lighthouse Data Centers' proposal for a 200,000 sq ft, 60-megawatt data center campus at 300 Jones Road, marking its second and final denial. The initial application, submitted on April 28, was denied on June 26 by the county's Planning and Development Commission due to five items non-compliant with the Unified Land Management ordinance and a data center moratorium introduced days prior by the Spartanburg County Council.
Sam Outten, a representative for Lighthouse Data Centers, argued that the Board of Zoning Appeals should not consider new grounds for denial, such as the moratorium, that were not cited in the initial noncompliance letter. Outten stated that the county had significantly changed its position, leading to over $28 million in developer investment being jeopardized. County staff maintained the initial denial was final and any resubmission constituted a new application.
The decision was met with cheers from a packed room of Spartanburg County residents, including Martha Foster and Lekesa Whitner, who expressed gratitude for the appeals committee upholding the denial. While pleased with the outcome, residents also voiced a desire for more permanent solutions to prevent data centers in the county and specifically mentioned opposition to the ongoing Valara data center project.