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Southampton County planners discuss data centers, M‑1 zoning and possible ordinance refinements
Summary
Planning staff told committee data centers are a permitted use in M‑1 industrial districts of at least 30 acres; committee members asked staff to research how neighboring localities regulate data centers, and discussed infrastructure, jobs and whether a moratorium or zoning changes are needed.
Southampton County planning staff and committee members discussed the county’s readiness for data center development and whether zoning or ordinance changes are needed to address site size, utility demands and siting standards.
Mr. Randolph, a community development staff member, told the committee the county’s zoning ordinance currently allows data centers by right in the M‑1 industrial district when the district is at least 30 acres. “We do have it in our zoning ordinance as a permitted use in the M 1 Industrial District if that district is at least 30 acres in size,” Randolph said, adding that the county does not have site‑specific plan standards for data centers.
Committee members raised several planning considerations: the wide range of data‑center footprints (a small telecommunications facility on one acre versus a campus‑style site of 100 acres), heavy electric and water needs, potential new transmission lines, and the limited number of permanent local jobs the facilities produce after construction. Participants noted the county is preparing an industrial site on Rose Valley Road to be “shovel ready,” which could be a candidate location because of proximity to existing generation infrastructure.
Committee members compared Southampton to neighboring localities that have already adapted ordinances; Mecklenburg County was cited as an example where data‑center tax revenue funded school construction. Several supervisors suggested staff prepare a short report reviewing how other jurisdictions regulate data centers, consider site‑selection parameters (minimum acreage, proximity to transmission), and outline whether a conditional‑use permit or other standards are advisable.
Randolph said he would prepare such a report for the committee. There was no formal vote recorded on zoning changes or a moratorium; the discussion closed with members asking staff to collect examples and recommendations for possible future amendments.
Why it matters
Data centers can bring substantial personal property tax revenue but also require large amounts of power and sometimes water and transmission upgrades. Local siting standards and review procedures determine how and where such facilities appear in rural counties.
What to watch for
Staff’s report and examples from Mecklenburg and other localities, and any subsequent discussion by the planning commission about adding conditional‑use requirements, minimum acreage thresholds, or temporary moratoria pending ordinance revisions.
