Mount Pleasant Council Pauses Data Center Projects
The town has enacted a two-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers to allow for a review of local zoning rules.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Data Centers
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The Mount Pleasant Town Council voted unanimously to implement a two-year moratorium on primary-use data centers that require more than 1 megawatt of power. This move aims to allow staff to update zoning ordinances in response to concerns about high resource consumption.
Why it matters
Council members cited significant concerns regarding the substantial energy and water demands linked to the operations of large-scale data facilities. The pause ensures the town can re-evaluate its development standards before approving new major tech infrastructure.
The new moratorium covers a two-year period and applies to primary-use data centers with power needs exceeding 1 megawatt. Mount Pleasant Waterworks is explicitly exempt from these new regulatory requirements.
The players
Mount Pleasant Town Council
This is the primary legislative body responsible for governing the town of Mount Pleasant and managing its municipal zoning and land-use policies.
Mount Pleasant Waterworks
This municipal utility agency is responsible for providing water and wastewater services to the residents and businesses of the area.
The details
Town staff members are tasked with drafting updated zoning ordinances, which will be presented to the planning commission for formal consideration. While the moratorium is set for two years, the council retains the option to end the restriction early if the new zoning policies are adopted ahead of schedule.
Timeline
August 31, 2026: Planning committee discussed data center concerns.
October 13, 2026: Town council voted to approve the moratorium.
Next 2 years: Moratorium duration on data center developments.
The Tech Race
This moratorium pauses data center expansion in Mount Pleasant, reflecting a broader trend where municipalities are reassessing the infrastructure load of rapid technological growth. The move positions the town to re-evaluate its zoning against the current national surge in high-density computing demand.
Residents should not expect immediate changes to local utility services, as the moratorium is focused exclusively on regulating large-scale commercial development. The policy ensures that upcoming growth aligns with the town's capacity for energy and water usage.
The takeaway
The town has chosen to prioritize infrastructure stability by pausing high-power developments until new regulations are in place. Residents can monitor upcoming planning commission meetings to participate in the public review of the new zoning proposals.
What happens next
The town staff will present proposed zoning changes to the planning commission for consideration, a process that will occur during the two-year moratorium window.
Further reading
For more on how local policies impact infrastructure, visit the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Post and Courier.
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Should local governments enact moratoria on large-scale data centers to preserve community resources?
