Colleton County Council approved first reading of data center moratorium

The Colleton County Council in South Carolina has approved the first reading of an ordinance that would establish a moratorium on special exceptions and conditional use approvals for data centers. The unanimous vote came Monday night after significant public opposition to a planned 800-plus-acre data center project near Walterboro. Citizens vocalized their concerns during the council meeting, urging officials to take more time to consider the impacts of such developments. This initial approval marks a step towards potentially halting data center construction temporarily or permanently in the county, pending further readings required for final adoption. The move by Colleton County Council follows a trend, with at least 12 states and 100 local governments having introduced or passed similar moratoriums.