Greenwood County faces dueling votes on data centers at Tuesday night meeting
Greenwood County, SC, is facing two competing ordinances that will determine the future of data centers in the area. One measure would allow data centers as a conditional use, while the other proposes a one-year moratorium on their approval. Residents are concerned about a potential loophole if the zoning change passes first.
Greenwood County, South Carolina, is at a crossroads regarding future data center development, with two conflicting ordinances set for a vote at a county council meeting. The first measure, scheduled for its third and final reading, proposes amending zoning guidelines to permit data centers as a conditional use within the county. This would allow for their approval under specific conditions.
Simultaneously, three council members are advocating for a one-year moratorium on all data center approvals, which is currently undergoing its second reading. Residents, like Russ Fitzgerald, have voiced strong concerns, fearing that if the zoning ordinance passes before the moratorium, it could create a loophole allowing data centers into the community despite public apprehension about their environmental and aesthetic impact.
The anticipated high attendance for the crucial meeting has prompted a change of venue to District 50's Performing Arts Center. Council members Johanna Bishop and Dayne Pruitt are expected to make statements during the Tuesday evening session.