Commissioners report data-center field trip; raise questions about jobs, water, power and community impacts

Southampton County planning commissioners spent much of their December meeting reviewing a recent field trip to Mecklenburg County’s data‑center training center and discussing what lessons it may hold for local planning.

A commissioner who attended the trip described presentations by the county economic development director and community‑college staff and said the group saw how 'pad‑ready' industrial sites with water, roads and substations made it easier to attract large data centers such as Microsoft. The commissioner said the training center illustrated how community colleges can prepare local workers for technical roles at the facility.

Commissioners pressed presenters for specifics. When asked about long‑term employment, the presenter said construction jobs are large in number but permanent on‑site staff tend to be smaller; he estimated an ordinary operational staff of a few dozen people and a larger, but temporary, construction workforce. Commissioners also asked about noise and water. Trip participants reported loud interior noise inside server halls but said they could not hear equipment from outside the buildings; the presenter said the facility draws from the municipal distribution system and recirculates water through an on‑site tower rather than continuously pulling fresh water.

Economic impacts were a central theme. Commissioners heard an example in which a data center supplied a substantial share of county tax revenues and funded school construction; the presenter cited multi‑million‑dollar contributions and long‑range revenue estimates. At the same time, multiple commissioners said they wanted the 'other side' of the story — residents’ concerns and documented local impacts — before endorsing any pursuit of similar projects in Southampton County.

Other issues raised included transmission-line siting across private property, the need for 'pad‑ready' infrastructure (water, power, roads), and the political risk that state action could change local siting authority. Commissioners asked staff to compile more technical data, consider arranging additional field trips for those who missed this trip, and to report back with water‑use, power and permitting details.

No formal action to pursue a data center was taken at the meeting; commissioners instead directed staff to gather more information and seek broader perspectives from residents and technical agencies before any application or formal position.