York County Council approves nine month data center moratorium
York County Council has given final approval to a nine-month moratorium on new data center development in its unincorporated areas, effective immediately. This pause allows county staff to study the impacts of data centers on local resources like water, power, and neighboring properties. During this period, the county will not accept new applications or issue permits for data centers, with staff also tasked to recommend potential zoning amendments.
The York County Council in South Carolina has enacted a nine-month moratorium on new data center development in the county's unincorporated areas, following a 6-0 vote. The ordinance, which took immediate effect, prohibits the county from accepting site plans or issuing any land use or development approvals for data centers until April 2027, unless extended. Council member William "Bump" Roddey was absent from the vote.
The pause is intended to allow county staff to conduct a comprehensive study on the potential impacts of data center facilities. This review will examine various factors, including noise, groundwater, utility rates, energy infrastructure, environmental considerations such as waste heat, and the effects on adjacent properties. Staff have also been directed to propose any necessary zoning text amendments based on their findings and to consider engaging independent experts for the review process.
The Council's findings indicate that existing regulations were not designed for the intense demands of data center use and that, if inadequately regulated, these facilities could severely strain critical energy and water resources, the environment, and local infrastructure. Developments that had received civil site plan approval prior to the ordinance's effective date are exempt, provided they remain within the scope of their existing approvals.