Clarendon County Council will hold a special called meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, to consider second reading of a proposed six-month moratorium on most new data center and battery energy storage system applications.
The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at the Clarendon County Administration Building, 411 Sunset Drive in Manning.
Council gave first reading to the moratorium Aug. 10 following a unanimous recommendation from the Clarendon County Planning Commission. The measure would temporarily pause consideration and issuance of land-use or development approvals for the facilities while county officials develop regulations governing the uses.
The moratorium would not apply to properties zoned Industrial I or Industrial II.
County Administrator Walt Ackerman said second reading was added to Monday's special called meeting to accelerate the ordinance process and allow council to consider third and final reading Sept. 14 rather than waiting until its October meeting.
The county plans to hold a public hearing at the Sept. 14 regular council meeting before council considers final reading. Ackerman said notice of the hearing must be published at least 15 days in advance.
Ackerman also said the county typically holds public hearings before second reading, but said the hearing is not required at that stage and can instead be held before final action.
“This is ONLY being done to speed up the implementation of the moratorium,” Ackerman said in an email Monday.
The moratorium would not take effect unless approved on third and final reading.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that statements regarding public hearing and notice requirements were provided by Clarendon County Administrator Walt Ackerman.
