GwdToday

06/11/2026

Look at this Greenwood!!! Looks like your consistent efforts to slow down the Data Center is working.

Please see the following statement from Greenwood County Council Chairman Theo Lane:

“In considering matters related to data centers, I have applied the same standard that has guided every decision I have made since being elected to County Council: determining what is in the best interest of Greenwood County as a whole. After consulting with my fellow council members and listening to the concerns of our citizens, I believe it is in the county's best interest to have a full and transparent public discussion regarding a potential moratorium on data center development.

Accordingly, I have placed Ordinance 2026-25, a proposed 12-month moratorium on data centers, on the agenda for first reading in title only at the regularly scheduled Greenwood County Council meeting on June 16, 2026. The ordinance was proposed by District 2 Councilman Mark Allison, District 4 Councilwoman Cathy Miller, and Vice Chairman Dayne Pruitt of District 5.

In addition, the second reading and public hearing for the proposed moratorium will be held during the Council's regularly scheduled meeting on July 7, 2026. At that same meeting, Council will also consider the third reading of Ordinance 2026-19, the data center text amendment.

County Council is committed to fully evaluating both ordinances, listening to public input, and working together to craft the best solution for Greenwood County."

06/11/2026

Here are a few questions we have asked these individuals (Pic from left: Rob Russian, Deputy County Manager for Operations; Theo Lane, Chairman for County Council and James Bateman, Economic Development Director). Questions below. We will share their answers when we receive them. Or we invite them to answer in the comments below.

Rob Russian
• When did you get the first request or decision to begin working on a zoning ordinance amendment relating to Data Centers?

Theo Lane
• What month and year were you first notified officially or unofficially about a data center interest in Greenwood County?
• Who will be traveling with you on your next visit to a data center and to what state are you visiting?
• Is there some reason today that makes it impossible for you to add a moratorium on Data Centers to the agenda for vote?

James Bateman
• What month and year were you first notified officially or unofficially about a data center interest in Greenwood County.

Greenwood County SC Government

06/10/2026

IMPORTANT - 3rd and final reading of the Zoning Amendment for Data Centers moved to July 7th. Please read details below.

Greenwood County Council will move the third reading of Ordinance 2026-19, the proposed data center text amendment, from the June 16 meeting agenda to its July 7 meeting.

The proposed amendment would establish zoning standards and development requirements for any future data center seeking to locate in Greenwood County.

While county staff will have the amendment ready for consideration on June 16, Chairman Lane has requested that the third reading be moved to July 7 to allow additional time to review feedback from council members and the public to ensure the proposed amendment is responsive to community concerns.

🔗 Residents are encouraged to review the proposed amendment at: https://bit.ly/4uZjA1v

To help residents better understand the proposed text amendment, the Greenwood County Planning Department will host a drop-in information session on Tuesday, June 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Veterans Auditorium at the Greenwood County Library (600 Main St S, Greenwood).

This session will be led by Planning Department staff and will focus exclusively on the language and provisions contained within the proposed text amendment. County Council members and other county departments will not be in attendance. Questions regarding economic development matters, moratorium proposals, or topics outside the scope of the text amendment will not be addressed during this information session.

We encourage residents to review the amendment and attend the information session to learn more about the text amendment before Council's July 7 meeting.

06/10/2026

Congratulations Rep. John McCravy on you win and continued support for Greenwood and the Lakelands.

06/10/2026

Neighborhood Policing, Security, Surveillance: For high violence zones and neighborhoods, provide additional police patrolling and/or security guards that can monitor the areas, have direct contact with law enforcement and help prevent bad situations from occurring. Could install surveillance cameras to monitor outside areas with 24/7 monitoring to help in efforts.

06/10/2026

Congratulations Anne Eller!

https://gwdtoday.com/south-carolina-senate-honors-anne-eller,-%E2%80%98voice-of-greenwood,%E2%80%99-with-senate--p6557-73.htm

06/10/2026

West Carolina recently celebrated the achievements of local students at their annual Scholarship Reception, awarding a combined $13,000 in scholarships to local students

https://gwdtoday.com/west-carolina,-frs-awards-$13,000-in-scholarships-to-local-students-p6556-73.htm

06/09/2026

Chairman Theo Lane Responds on behalf of the Council:
(the previous question asking them if they had ever visited a data center. Responds after being called out on our previous post)

"On behalf of the County Council, thank you for your questions and for your interest in this important topic.

As part of our effort to educate ourselves on the proposed amendment and better understand data center development, District 3 Councilwoman Johanna Bishop, Economic Development Director James Bateman, County Attorney Carson Penny, and I recently toured the site of Meta's data center currently under construction in Aiken County.

In addition, our Economic Development Director remains in regular contact with his counterparts in communities where data centers have already been built or are under development. Through those discussions, we are gathering information about local impacts, including water consumption, power usage, noise considerations, tax revenue, and overall community benefits and challenges.

Members of the County Council, along with county staff, are in the process of scheduling a trip to visit an operational data center where we will tour the center and talk with local residents and leadership about the positive and negative impacts of the center. Our goal is to make informed decisions based on facts and firsthand observations.

We appreciate your concern and engagement as we continue to learn more about this issue."

06/09/2026

Candidate for Greenwood City Mayor James Long invites you to sign his No Data Center petition. If you want to see at least a halt on the Data Center push to Greenwood, click on the link and sign the petition.

We want the moratorium!! Sign please