Spartanburg County Council approves preliminary NorthMark data center development agreement
Spartanburg County Council approved a preliminary development agreement for the NorthMark and Valara data center under the county’s data center moratorium. The agreement requires reporting and compliance measures covering noise, light, landscaping, water, utility demand and air quality, while allowing accelerated approval reviews.
Spartanburg County Council voted 4-1 to approve a preliminary development agreement for the NorthMark and Valara data center on Pine Street in Spartanburg. The 457-megawatt project is already under construction and has one permit, but county officials said a second permit places it under the county’s data center moratorium, which limits new facilities to 65 megawatts unless conditions are met.
The agreement requires NorthMark to document compliance with performance-zoning rules and provide annual reports on construction, capital investment, water and utility demand, employment and other matters. The county also seeks additional oversight of groundwater, air quality and inspections and has asked the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services to install an air-quality monitor near the site. Councilman Monier Abusaft opposed the preliminary agreement, while other members described it as an initial negotiating step rather than a final deal.