For those of you who have been opposed to the proposed data center near the Ace Basin Wildlife Refuge the news that Colleton County Council was going to adopt an ordinance to place a moratorium on data center approvals seemed like a positive step. Prior to the May 4, 2026 council meeting the agenda revealed that there was going to be a first reading of the ordinance—but as far as I could tell (from watching long-distance on You Tube) the full text of the ordinance was not available to those who attended—thereby not allowing them to see the details. If you read the entire ordinance you will see the county has given itself six months from the date the ordinance is scheduled to be passed on July 6, 2026 to study the areas where data centers are currently allowed (with either a Special Exception or Conditional Use)—and to make further amendments to the county’s Land Use Code. Why didn’t council conduct this study BEFORE it passed the changes to the code last fall—allowing data centers under certain circumstances? How do we know they won’t make it easier to approve a data center?
What is happening in the near future? Answer: county council primaries. Don’t fool yourselves into thinking data centers are NOT being planned for Colleton County! This moratorium will end after the elections in November. Council knows how angry residents are and they are just trying to distract you so you will vote for the current members to continue to serve on council.
The current members—nice as they may/may not be—failed to oversee the long-time county administrator’s spending—and now Colleton County has financial problems and is desperate to find a way to make fast money. No matter where a new data center would be located—it will be bad for Colleton County. In states all over the nation residents are fighting against them; do you think these five members know more than residents and experts in these other states?
Don’t be fooled!
Carol Black
