The Data Center in Colleton County has been a passionate topic of discussion for a number of months in Colleton County. A major milestone was reached last week with the County entering into a Settlement Agreement with Miles Crosby, Jennifer Singleton, and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
I was able to sit down with Colleton County Administrator, Thomas Higgs, to go over the history and the impact of the agreement.
Higgs explained, “The county was approached by a prospective data center wanting to locate in Colleton County. The prospective site was in a particular area of the county where some citizens raised concerns. That ultimately led the county into litigation with Mr. Crosby and Ms. Singleton. That litigation immediately led to mediation between the parties.
“What you saw at last night’s (Oct. 5) Council meeting was the culmination of the mediation that will move Colleton County forward, and it was historical in my opinion.
“We are establishing a data center exclusionary map, which will be adopted in the comprehensive plan. The map is part of the settlement agreement and identifies areas of Colleton County where we say data centers should absolutely not go. Additionally, we are working hand in hand with the Southern Environmental Law Center to go parcel by parcel to further identify these areas.”
Higgs went on to say, “I think this is just groundbreaking, and I look forward to working through that process.”
I asked Higgs why the suit was brought by Crosby and Singleton, and he said, “In the complaint, they outlined their interest, and I think their interests aren't that different than any of ours. The ACE Basin is one of those picturesque areas that you envision for South Carolina. It is one of the first images that comes to mind. It's a place we all love, respect, and want to preserve. Mr. Crosby and Ms. Singleton did a great job of articulating that goal, and we wanted to work to preserve it together.”
The map that is published with this article is the first generation of this map and will undergo a number of revisions before the final product is agreed upon.
Higgs explained the process: this is the first pass at that map. “We must start somewhere,” he said, “so what we did was identify some of the areas from kind of a 100,000-foot view, if you will. We are going to work hand in hand with the Southern Environmental Law Center to go down from the 100,000-foot view to the 30,000-foot view. We will go parcel by parcel and figure out the individual zoning areas by taking a look at environmentally sensitive areas that we need to preserve where data centers just make zero sense. We will identify these areas and memorialize them into a map to be adopted into the county's comprehensive plan.”
Higgs says that the map will be a cooperative effort: “The Southern Environmental Law Center has offered to help. I'm very thankful for them offering to assist our planning department to identify parcels and sensitive areas, and working with us to develop the final map, which will be included in the comprehensive planning process. That is already underway.”
Higgs reiterated that the moratorium is still in place, which is part of the Data Center Overlay District Ordinance. “Protections are in place through the ordinance. We're very proud of what we were able to accomplish.”
He added, “Some areas in Colleton County are already suitable for developers. Take, for instance, our industrial areas. We already have some zoning classifications where industries can already come. But let's say you're a developer that wants to go in a particular area that is not zoned for your type of industry. If the project meets the parameters of the digital infrastructure facility, the developer could apply for a digital overlay. The application will be presented to the Planning Commission for review, and if the parameters are met, the request will go to County Council for final approval.
“I am particularly proud of the forward-thinking and the guardrails that the county put in place,” he said. “Based on my research, it’s some of the most stringent legislation that I've seen in the state, the Southeast, and the country. I want to just emphasize that while it's important for Colleton County, I think it really writes a story that's quite amazing; and it paves the path for other counties and municipalities, and perhaps even places across the country, and shows how we can work together as far as economic development, government, and conservation. It’s very contentious at the moment. There is no doubt about that. However, it’s a conversation that needs to happen, and I believe Mr. Crosby, Ms. Singleton, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and Colleton County have shown a way to move that conversation forward.”
