Yakima County adopts moratorium on large battery energy storage systems in unincorporated areas

The Yakima County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt Resolution 64-20-25 on March 18, 2025, declaring a moratorium on zoning and building permits for battery energy storage systems within the county's unincorporated areas.

The resolution places a temporary halt on permitting for large-scale battery storage while county staff and the planning commission develop zoning designations and ordinance changes. Commissioners said the pause is intended to give planners time to designate appropriate locations and consider impacts to agricultural land and other local concerns.

Tommy, a county planning staff member, told commissioners the moratorium targets large-scale, standalone storage facilities rather than accessory batteries. "This is for large scale industrial storage. So it would be, you know, potentially, you know, anything exceeding 1 acre, which would not be an accessory to the original use, for the zoning allowed for that parcel," Tommy said.

Tommy also reported the county had received one standalone battery energy storage application in 2023 near White Swan that has not progressed through permitting. He said most proposals to date have been paired with solar projects, and the standalone proposal remained under review as the Yakima nation and others raised concerns about fire risk, cultural resources, wildlife habitat and groundwater use. "We've received 1 that was submitted back in 2023 prior to the moratorium," Tommy said. "It's a standalone battery energy storage system, near White Swan on the Yakima Reservation. Okay, most of most of the ones that have come through or that have been proposed are associated directly with solar facilities. This was the only standalone 1 that the county has. And it has not progressed in the permit process."

Commissioners discussed whether the moratorium would be short-term or similar to the county's previous solar moratorium while ordinance updates were prepared. One commissioner described the planning commission's work on site designations as similar to the county's work on agrivoltaics and solar siting, saying that permitted storage would need to avoid removing agricultural land from production.

A motion to approve Resolution 64-20-25 was moved and seconded; the board adopted the resolution by voice vote.

The moratorium does not itself ban battery systems permanently; it temporarily halts permitting while staff and the planning commission draft and recommend ordinance changes and siting designations. Future permitting will depend on the outcome of that process and any ordinance amendments the board adopts.