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Community news and meeting summaries

Follow significant developments, review what was discussed, and identify information that still requires documentation or independent verification.

Meeting results · September 10, 2026

County Council Votes 3–2 Against Data Center Moratorium

Brown and Morrah supported the moratorium; Cook, Jennings and Hamby voted against it. The rezoning measures advanced along the same 3–2 division, while first reading by title only of Ordinance 26-06 passed unanimously.

McCormick First’s summary covers the votes, extensive public participation, Council’s discussion and anticipated next steps.

Read the complete September 10 summary →

Watch McCormick First’s recording of the votes →

Update · August 18

Third Reading of Ordinance 25-11 Removed from Council Agenda

County counsel has removed third reading of the Pollard rezoning ordinance from the August 18 agenda after receiving an August 17 letter from the South Carolina Environmental Law Project. The letter argues that the notice for the January 8 Planning Commission public hearing did not meet the required 15-day notice period and asks Council to postpone a decision until a properly noticed public hearing is held.

The letter presents the attorney’s legal position; it is not a court ruling or a County legal opinion.

Read the complete letter and attachments →
New · July 31 meeting

Summary of Informational Meeting with the Pollard Team

A detailed summary of the early presentation and informal question-and-answer discussion, including the project concept, utilities, proposed moratorium, jobs, taxes, environmental questions, and matters that remain unresolved.

Read the complete July 31 summary →
August 6 meeting summary

Representatives of McCormick First met with County Administrator James Upchurch and Nick, a new member of the County’s economic-development staff. The candid discussion helped distinguish information confirmed by County staff from public claims that have not yet been supported by formal plans or agreements.

This summary is not an official County record. It reflects meeting notes and an automated transcript and should not be read as an endorsement of or opposition to the proposal.

Key takeaways

  • No formal development package has been submitted. Upchurch said the County has not received a formal site plan, completed development proposal, or fee-in-lieu-of-tax request. He said neither he nor County Council members had signed confidentiality agreements, and he did not know the prospective purchaser or end user.
  • Current zoning already permits data centers. Data centers are allowed in existing Service Industrial areas. County-specific rules are therefore needed regardless of what happens with the pending rezoning request.
  • The natural-gas deadline appears to be real. Upchurch independently confirmed a September commitment window and said a moratorium would likely make the current project nonviable for years. The final pipeline route and contracts have not been made public.
  • The water figure came from CPW, but important details remain open. Upchurch said the Commission of Public Works provided the figure of up to one million gallons per day and believes capacity is available. Actual use, upgrades, costs, wastewater arrangements, and effects on existing customers have not been publicly established.
  • Promised benefits are not County commitments. The landowner cannot commit the County to residential tax reductions. No incentive request, fiscal analysis, or local-hiring agreement has been submitted. Upchurch estimated 40 to 60 permanent jobs and said many employees could commute from the Augusta area.
  • Several decisions remain separate. The rezoning request, proposed data-center text amendment, and possible moratorium are related but distinct. Upchurch invited public feedback on the text amendment before it is finalized.

What remains unanswered

The prospective purchaser, final site plan, power-generation capacity, natural-gas use and emissions, pipeline route, water and wastewater design, noise controls, emergency-response requirements, local employment, taxes and incentives, and enforcement mechanisms remain unresolved or undocumented publicly.

Moving forward

McCormick First’s goal is not to tell residents what to think. We will continue distinguishing among public statements, verified information, written commitments, and adopted requirements so residents can ask informed questions and participate respectfully in the decisions ahead.

We welcome corrections supported by source documents or clarification from the participants.