Supervisors direct planning commission to draft battery-storage ordinances, ask county attorney and EDA to review

The Amherst County Board of Supervisors voted to direct the county—s planning commission to begin drafting ordinances and siting rules for battery storage projects, and supervisors asked staff and the county attorney to examine revenue-sharing and siting agreements.

Supervisor Adams moved to send the initiative to the planning commission after a recent joint meeting with the planning commission and the Economic Development Authority. Mr. Adams said he wanted the planning commission to start work on county ordinances for battery storage areas. "I would like to put it before the board tonight to actually . . . place it in the hands of the planning commission to start working on the battery storage area, area ordinances that we discussed collectively a couple weeks ago," Adams said.

Mr. Martin offered a friendly amendment asking that the county attorney review siting agreements, revenue-sharing and incentives so the county had a complete package rather than piecemeal policies. The motion as amended also solicited input from the Economic Development Authority on incentives and revenue sharing; supervisors accepted the amendment and the motion passed by voice vote.

Board members said drafting ordinances would not force the board to approve or deny any specific facility but would provide a regulatory framework so the county can consider siting and financial arrangements when proposals arrive. Supervisors discussed that state code governs certain aspects of sliding-scale agreements and that the county attorney should ensure consistency with state law.

The board did not adopt ordinance language at the meeting; it directed staff, the planning commission, the county attorney and the EDA to research siting agreements, incentives, and revenue-sharing mechanisms and return with proposed language for consideration.