Colleton County advances moratorium months after public outcry over proposed data center

Colleton County Council is considering a six-month moratorium on data center development decisions, moving the ordinance forward with a unanimous vote to a second reading. This decision comes months after a proposed 1,000-megawatt data center in rural Colleton County, near Walterboro, sparked a significant public outcry. The proposed moratorium aims to provide the county with time to review current land use codes for data centers and update them as necessary. The push for a moratorium follows intense debate and opposition from residents regarding a specific 859-acre data center campus project by Charlotte-based Eagle Rock Partners. While the county council had initially supported the project, public disapproval led to a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting where around 400 people gathered to oppose the development. Due to procedural issues, no vote was taken, and the developer was required to reapply, though no new application has yet been submitted. Further complicating matters, two residents, Miles Crosby and Jennifer Singleton, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, have filed a lawsuit against Colleton County. They allege that recent changes to the zoning ordinance, which allowed data center approvals by the Zoning Board of Appeals, violate state law, the county’s comprehensive plan, and its zoning code. The moratorium ordinance itself states there are no proposed data center projects currently under review, a move welcomed by conservation groups and residents who are cautiously optimistic about the county's direction.