North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Ruben Lowman
Horry County officials officially tabled a proposed data center ordinance following a recently-held marathon Infrastructure and Regulation Committee meeting.
Despite a push to get ahead of the artificial intelligence boom, the council ultimately decided that they simply do not have the technical expertise to regulate these “resource-consuming hubs” without further research.
For residents in the more rural areas of Longs and Loris, who often find themselves on the front lines of industrial expansion, this pause offers a temporary reprieve from the uncertainty of massive computer warehouses moving into the backyard.
Councilman Michael Masciarelli admitted that the field is so technically complex that the council lacks the “technical proficiency” to make an informed decision today, especially as modern centers use a staggering amount of water and electricity.
The meeting took an emotional turn as residents from local neighborhoods voiced deep-seated frustrations over what they call “incompatible land use.”
Critics like Renee Ruff challenged the very soul of the industry, questioning whether the societal benefits of AI outweigh the localized pollution and “mass surveillance” concerns.
Liz Maciorowski pointed out that residents are often expected to “absorb industrial impacts” while their property values and health are sidelined, emphasizing that once these massive facilities are built, the environmental and noise impacts are permanent.
Councilman Dennis DiSabato was particularly vocal about the geographical risks, explicitly calling out areas like Highway 501 near Carolina Forest and Postal Way as inappropriate spots for industrial-grade data hubs.
The committee is now looking toward Columbia, hoping that pending state legislation, like the proposed “Data Center Siting Act”, will provide a clearer framework for handling the massive energy and water drain these facilities require.
