Windcrest planning commission recommends denying rezoning and special-use permit for proposed battery storage at Crestview Baptist property

The Windcrest Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 15 unanimously recommended that the City Council deny a request to rezone 8101 Eagle Crest Boulevard from R-1 (single-family dwelling) to B-1 (neighborhood business) and also recommended denying a special-use permit to allow a battery energy storage facility on a portion of the parcel.

The vote followed a public hearing that drew dozens of residents, multiple technical presenters from the applicant team and a presentation from the city fire marshal. Commission members said their recommendation reflected resident safety and land-use concerns and uncertainty about long-term impacts.

Convergent Energy representatives said the company responded to a CPS Energy request for proposals to support a nearby CPS substation and proposed a battery facility on a roughly 2-acre portion of the Crestview Baptist Church parcel at 8101 Eagle Crest Boulevard. Company representatives described the system as a utility-scale battery installation tied into an adjacent substation; during Q&A the company described the project as a roughly 15-megawatt system and referenced “40 megawatt hours” in discussion of storage capacity. The company said…