Colleton County Council approves rezoning of about 638 acres to industrial; public raises data-center and transparency concerns

The Colleton County Council on July 6 unanimously advanced a rezoning ordinance to reclassify roughly 638 acres (TMS 192-00-00-116) from Urban Development-2 to industrial, and approved a package of ordinances and resolutions that officials said will affect road ownership, a future well easement and grant-funded school resource officer positions.

The meeting opened with the council reading a proclamation honoring Captain Casey Campbell for earning the South Carolina Certified Emergency Manager designation, then heard a presentation from Sheila Hughes, executive director of Community Innovation, on youth writing programs and a Young Authors anthology produced with Colleton County middle-school students.

Public comment that followed focused heavily on transparency and a proposed data-center expansion near Walterboro. Carol Black, who identified herself as an attorney, told council members she has practiced law for nearly 45 years and urged the county to improve notice and access for special-called meetings, noting that “the bulletin board here at the county is inside… I think you ought to do what the city does and put a bulletin board on the outside as well.” She also expressed concern about rapid zoning changes linked to data-center proposals.

A separate commenter asked the council to continue—and possibly strengthen—the county’s moratorium on data centers, arguing the industry’s growth is driven by artificial intelligence and that siting such facilities in the ACE Basin would cause lasting environmental harm. “The data center in Walterboro that they are proposing is strictly for AI…placing it in the ACE Basin is insult to injury,” the speaker said.

After public comment the council moved to business items. By voice vote the body read an ordinance by title to amend the official zoning map and rezone approximately 638 acres to industrial; the motion carried unanimously. Other measures the council approved included a first reading (by title) of an ordinance granting a 100-foot pollution-free easement for a proposed well on Ben and Bull Drive; a resolution declining state roadway acceptance and supporting transfer of maintenance responsibility to Jacksonville Baptist Church; acceptance of a grant from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety for the 2026–27 school resource officer program (with authorization for the county administrator to execute related documents); and authorization to issue a request for proposals and contract for independent auditing services.

The clerk presented tabulation sheets and the council completed several appointments without opposition, including Kendra Krause to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals and Frank Santarella to the Planning Commission. Councilmembers also discussed upcoming transportation projects—including a bridge replacement on Highway 64 near Williams Road that is likely to require detours—and reminded the public that the comment period for the Lowcountry Area Transportation Study closes July 8.

Votes at a glance

- Rezoning (TMS 192-00-00-116): Motion to read ordinance by title and amend zoning to industrial — carried unanimously. - Easement for future well (Ben and Bull Drive): First reading by title — carried unanimously. - Resolution declining SCDOT roadway acceptance and supporting transfer to Jacksonville Baptist Church — carried unanimously. - Acceptance of SC DPS grant for 2026–27 school resource officer program — carried unanimously. - Authorization to issue RFP and contract for independent auditing services — carried unanimously. - Appointments to boards and commissions (Kendra Krause; Keisha Williams; Shane Rudy; Frank Santarella) — adopted without opposition.

What’s next

Council did not indicate additional hearings on the specific rezoning parcel at this meeting beyond the actions taken; members reminded residents of an approaching public comment deadline for transportation planning. Multiple public commenters urged the council to preserve the ACE Basin and to maintain full public transparency for special-called meetings and budget hearings.

(Reporting by Colleton County meeting transcript; quotes and motions taken from public record.)