Concerned Citizens of Spartanburg County v. Spartanburg County: Judge Dismisses Zoning Challenge to Valara Holdings' $2.8B Data Center
On October 6, 2026, a Spartanburg County circuit judge dismissed a neighbors' group's suit claiming the county should have reviewed Valara Holdings' $2.8 billion data center at the former Kohler plant as a 'major' land development rather than a 'minor' one. The court held that the group, Concerned Citizens of Spartanburg County, lacked standing because it had not shown special damage, and that it had skipped the required appeal to the county Board of Zoning Appeals. The court also called the challenge to a second, still-pending permit premature. The group, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, says it will appeal.
Why it matters
The ruling shows that a by-right or staff-level approval can hold up against neighbors who do not first use the local zoning-appeal process within the short deadline it allows, and who cannot show harm specific to them. For data center developers and the owners of converted industrial sites, this is a strong procedural defense while opposition to the asset class grows. It also shows how a project classification fight ('minor' versus 'major' review) can become the main point of attack, so developers should record why their application fits the classification they chose.
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Case timeline · 4 entries Latest: October 6, 2026 — Court dismisses suit for lack of standing and failure to appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals; group says it will appeal
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