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Board reviews planning commission makeup; planning commission to hold hearing on battery storage rules
Summary
Supervisors reviewed county code language on planning commission appointments and directed staff to consult towns; committee reports noted the planning commission will hold a public hearing soon on a proposed battery energy storage systems policy ordinance.
Staff and supervisors discussed the Charlotte County Planning Commission’s composition and a pending public hearing on battery energy storage systems (BESS) during the Jan. 8 meeting.
County staff provided an overview of Chapter 54 of the Charlotte County Code and noted recent amendments from 2019: removal of county staff as a voting member, an explicit board liaison role, and a change to how town appointees are selected (towns now recommend, the board appoints). The board heard summaries of how neighboring localities structure planning commissions: some counties do not include town representatives; others combine district and town seats in different ways.
Supervisor reports included an update that the county planning commission has proposed an ordinance regulating battery energy storage systems and that the planning commission planned a public hearing in the coming week; commissioners were expected to decide and refer the proposal to the board for consideration in April. A supervisor asked staff to consult with town councils before recommending changes to county practice; the board directed staff to meet with town representatives and return with recommendations at a future meeting, allowing extra time if needed.
Staff also noted that each town in Charlotte County maintains its own planning commission and zoning ordinance; county zoning does not govern incorporated towns and town planning commissions do not include county representation. The board instructed staff to coordinate meetings with town councils and indicated a report back to the board when outreach is complete.
