Consulting Services for a Data Center Impact Study

Description: York County is soliciting proposals from qualified independent consultants or multidisciplinary consulting teams to conduct a comprehensive Data Center Impact Study. York County is one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina, with a population exceeding 311,000 and continued residential and commercial growth projected over the next decade. At the same time, the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure has created significant development pressure. Beginning in early 2026, York County Council received substantial public comments concerning potential impacts of large-scale data centers on water resources, electrical infrastructure, the environment, public health, property values, quality of life, agriculture, natural resources, and community character. Residents and community organizations have also raised concerns regarding noise, lighting, land clearing, wildlife, transparency, development scale, buffers, and the cumulative effects of multiple facilities and associated utility infrastructure. In response, Council took the following actions: A.    February 6, 2026: Council unanimously invoked the pending ordinance doctrine, immediately reclassifying data centers from permitted uses to special exception uses in Light Industrial and Industrial Development zoning districts pending further study and ordinance revision. B.    March 16, 2026: Council passed second reading of Case 26-02, establishing additional data center development standards, including mandatory acoustical studies; closed-loop cooling requirements; prohibition of groundwater wells; setbacks of 200 feet for structures and 300 feet for ground equipment from residential property lines; classification of data centers in the highest-impact buffer category (Type D); and utility capacity letters from water, sewer, and power providers before permit issuance. C.    July 14, 2026: Council gave final approval to Ordinance YC-2026-M-01, establishing a nine-month moratorium on applications and land use, special exception, conditional use, and building permits for new data centers in the County’s unincorporated areas. The moratorium took effect immediately and is scheduled to expire in April 2027 unless extended by Council resolution. Council directed staff to obtain outside expertise to study data center impacts and develop recommendations for zoning amendments before the moratorium expires. The County's existing regulations were not developed specifically for the scale, intensity, and concentrated infrastructure demands associated with hyperscale data centers. The County therefore seeks an independent technical team capable of evaluating these impacts and providing objective findings that can support subsequent policy and regulatory decisions by County Council. One large-scale data center campus is currently under construction in unincorporated York County and is operated by Quality Technology Services (QTS). The multi-building campus near Lake Wylie represents the type of hyperscale development addressed by the moratorium.  To the extent permitted by law and supported by available information, the Consultant should evaluate the actual and potential impacts of this facility and the broader class of development it represents. The Consultant should not be expected to conduct an audit of the facility's compliance with existing permits or approvals unless specifically requested by the County.