Data center debate: County officials field data center questions at GOP meeting
Greenwood County officials faced intense questioning from residents and a State Representative at a public meeting regarding proposed data center regulations and the possibility of enacting a moratorium. Residents expressed concerns about utility capacity, noise, and water use, while officials pushed for regulatory amendments over a moratorium to avoid unregulated development. The County Council is considering delaying a final vote on the text amendment for further review.
Greenwood County officials, including Deputy County Manager Rob Russian, County Manager Toby Chappell, and County Council Chairman Theo Lane, addressed residents' concerns about proposed data center regulations and a potential moratorium at a Greenwood County Republican Party meeting. Residents, including members of "Greenwood County Residents for Responsible Growth" and State Rep. John McCravy, urged the County Council to consider a two-year moratorium on data center development, citing concerns about noise, water use, utility capacity, and the speed of the current regulatory process. They also questioned why the council did not adopt the Greenwood City/County Joint Planning Commission's recommendation for a 24-month moratorium.
County officials, however, argued that a moratorium could leave the county vulnerable to unregulated data center development if an application were filed before new rules were in place, potentially leading to a "blind spot" in current rural zoning ordinances. Economic Development Director James Bateman also cautioned that a moratorium could harm the county's economic development prospects by sending a negative signal to developers. Chairman Lane acknowledged the proposed text amendment, which includes regulations for light, sound, setbacks, and a conditional use permit process, might not be perfect due to its rapid drafting.
The County Council had previously heard a second reading of the data center regulation text amendment and is considering postponing the third reading to allow for additional site visits to other data center locations, such as Aiken County. Officials emphasized the necessity of implementing some form of regulation, arguing that doing nothing would allow data centers to build without any oversight, though they have made no commitments to the three companies that have expressed interest in the county.