The Beaufort County Board of Commissioners approved a one-year moratorium on data center developments in a 6-1 vote.
The decision halts the county from accepting, processing, or approving any applications or permits for the high-powered computer facilities for the next 12 months. Commissioners enacted the freeze to study regional impacts, specifically focusing on heavy electricity consumption and noise pollution generated by facility cooling systems.
The vote followed a public hearing where community members voiced sharp concerns over local infrastructure impacts. Officials intend to use the year-long pause to craft a permanent zoning ordinance to regulate future proposals.
The sole dissenting vote came from Commissioner Hood Richardson, who argued the ban misses a massive economic opportunity. Richardson noted a single data center could potentially lower homeowner property taxes by 10%.
