🏗️Spartanburg County Council advances three data center agreements despite pushback

If you've been following the data center debate, here's where it stands. County Council voted Tuesday to advance all three development agreements on second reading at a special called meeting. The proposed facilities would sit along South Pine Street, Tyger River Industrial Drive and Jones Road.

Residents spoke both for and against. Supporters pointed to economic benefits, while opponents raised noise, pollution and missing documents. District 2 Councilman Monier Abusaft questioned whether the developer behind the South Pine Street project had followed through on environmental protections discussed earlier. “If I can’t trust you, I can’t trust you,” he said. That agreement advanced anyway.

• Next: a third and final reading for all three agreements
• Officials expect missing site plans with the November meeting agenda
• A public hearing comes before the final vote
• The county is also working on more rules, including noise standards

WYFF reports that beyond Valara, the project at the center of the debate, two other proposals are moving: upgrades to an existing data center in Moore and a new one planned in Spartanburg. At 389 Tyger River Industrial Drive, AIB has operated a data center for about four years. It wants to replace the site's 20 container-style units. Agendas are on the Spartanburg County website.