Greenwood County Approves 12-Month Data Center Moratorium in 4-3 Vote

Greenwood County Council approved a 12-month moratorium on new data center approvals Tuesday, July 21, after a 4-3 vote on third and final reading.

The countywide action pauses new approvals while officials continue reviewing how data centers should be regulated. It is a temporary approval pause, not a permanent ban on data center development.

What the moratorium does

During the moratorium, new data center approvals in Greenwood County are paused. Available reporting does not identify a specific company or project that was denied, canceled, or delayed by the decision.

Fox Carolina reported that 24 people registered to speak before the vote. Public discussion included potential rules involving building setbacks, noise, backup generators, cooling systems, water use, sewer treatment, electricity demand, taxes, environmental requirements, and land use.

Those topics remain part of the debate and review. The vote itself does not establish that a data center would cause a specific financial, utility, environmental, or neighborhood impact in Greenwood County.

County action, with relevance inside Greenwood

The decision was made by Greenwood County Council, not Greenwood City Council. It applies at the county level, but it is relevant to city residents and businesses because the Greenwood City/County Planning Department serves both Greenwood County and the City of Greenwood. The department handles zoning, development review, and land-use responsibilities for both jurisdictions.

That shared planning structure gives Greenwood residents a direct interest in future county discussions about data center standards, although the available sources do not identify a specific project or company currently affected by the moratorium.

What comes next

The moratorium is connected to ongoing work involving Ordinances 2026-25 and 2026-19. County records and related public information describe a continuing process rather than a completed rewrite of the county’s data center rules.

Residents, property owners, businesses, and prospective developers should watch future County Council meetings, planning actions, ordinance readings, and zoning documents for details about any standards or changes adopted during the 12-month period.

For now, the confirmed result is narrower: Greenwood County has paused new data center approvals for one year after a 4-3 final vote, while officials continue examining the rules and infrastructure questions that would govern any future proposals.

Sources

• Fox Carolina: Greenwood County Council approves one-year data center moratorium on final reading
• Greenwood City/County Planning Department
• Greenwood County Government: Ordinance 2026-19 data center zoning update
• WYFF: Greenwood County data center decisions