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Hubbardston adopts zoning article to regulate grid-scale battery storage, seeks to restore local review
Summary
Town meeting voters approved a new zoning article regulating grid‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). The planning board framed the measure as restoring local review after earlier language was struck down by the Attorney General; the bylaw sets a 0.5 megawatt‑hour threshold and applies building and fire‑code requirements.
Town meeting approved a planning-board‑sponsored zoning amendment to add a new article regulating battery energy storage systems (BESS) for grid‑scale installations.
The planning board chair described the change as an effort to reintroduce local oversight after a prior bylaw was partly struck down by the Attorney General and “blue‑penciled” to allow BESS by right in all zones without local restrictions.
Christopher Monroe, chair of the planning board, told the meeting the revised article targets larger, grid‑scale systems and does not impose site‑plan review on small residential systems such as household solar storage or electric vehicle batteries. Monroe said the bylaw now sets a threshold at 0.5 megawatt‑hours for the systems that trigger additional review and requires compliance with the state building code and fire‑protection standards.
Questions from residents focused on the numeric thresholds and whether enough copies of the proposed bylaw had been made available. Town counsel confirmed that the text had been distributed via handouts, a QR code and was available at the town clerk’s office. Counsel also noted that any floor amendment must stay within the scope of the article presented to town meeting.
Why it matters: The bylaw regulates larger battery installations that have been a flashpoint in neighboring communities; local officials said the town needed a clear rule to require site plans and building/fire‑safety compliance for larger systems while not burdening household systems.
Key points from discussion
- Scope: The planning-board proposal focuses on grid‑scale installations and exempts residential systems below the 0.5 MWh threshold from the site‑plan review requirement, while still requiring installed systems to meet building and fire codes. - Legal context: The planning board and town counsel said the article was drafted after state rule‑making and Attorney General review altered earlier local bylaws, and the current draft attempts to preserve as much local review as state law permits. - Public availability: The planning board noted handouts and online posting; one resident raised a question about the number of printed copies available. Planning board members said 200 copies were printed and a QR code distributed.
Outcome: The article passed unanimously at town meeting. The planning board recommended the bylaw after public hearings on April 17 and May 7 and a series of prior meetings.
Next steps: Implementation will involve permitting and enforcement by the town building and fire officials along with planning‑board review for systems that meet or exceed the threshold; the town may revisit language if state rules change.
