HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — As state lawmakers continue to explore data center regulations in what’s emerged as top issue in Columbia, Horry County officials may soon be taking steps of their own to guide future development.
The council’s infrastructure and planning subcommittee on Tuesday will get its first look at a proposed ordinance establishing standards for their construction, placement and size.
“The Zoning Ordinance does not currently include standards specific to data centers. As interest in these facilities increases, the absence of defined standards has created uncertainty in how they should be reviewed,” senior planner Desiree Jackson wrote in a decision memorandum. ” Data centers include large buildings and supporting equipment that may impact surrounding properties in terms of noise, scale, and compatibility.”
A suggested text amendment would put conditions on such facilities, including:
- Separating them from residential districts
- Limiting building sizes to between 80,000 and 200,000 square feet depending on their zoning
- Requirement of a special use exception for any facility exceeding that size.
A trio of bills circulating in the General Assembly look to create a blueprint for South Carolina’s future data center economy, namely by requiring them to cover their own energy and water consumptions costs.
Marion County residents seek answers about proposed data center
One bill — S. 867 would create a framework for permitting, construction and oversight of so-called “AI factories” that number more than 4,000 nationally, according to a data center tracking site…