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Planning commission reviews draft battery energy storage ordinance; staff told to refine standards with emergency services
Summary
Planning commissioners reviewed a draft zoning ordinance to regulate battery energy storage systems and gave staff direction on setbacks, height, emergency response timing and decommissioning requirements.
The Fauquier County Planning Commission held a work session on a proposed zoning text amendment to regulate battery energy storage systems (BESS). The draft ordinance, prepared by planning staff after a November work session and a review of other jurisdictions’ rules, would use a tiered approach: small, site‑specific “Tier 1” systems (under 600 kilowatt‑hours) would be permitted as accessory uses in all zoning districts; larger “Tier 2” utility‑scale systems (more than 600 kilowatt‑hours) would require a special exception and a comprehensive plan compliance review in specified zoning districts (Agricultural, Industrial Park, Industrial General, and Business Park).
Staff said the draft borrows standards from the county’s solar requirements and from other jurisdictions and includes provisions for construction and operation to comply with industry standards and the building and fire codes; landscaping and perimeter buffering; a minimum…
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