Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy And Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oxnard council directs attorney to challenge county approval of Shoals battery project
Summary
By a 4-3 vote the Oxnard City Council directed the city attorney to initiate legal action to challenge the Ventura County Planning Commission’s approval of the Shoals energy storage project; the decision followed public comment by the project developer and drew divided council votes.
The Oxnard City Council voted 4-3 on March 4 to direct the city attorney to initiate legal action challenging the Ventura County Planning Commission—s approval of a proposed battery energy storage project known as the Shoals project.
The move, announced publicly after the council returned from closed session, was explained by the city attorney as a direction to "initiate an action to challenge the approval by the Ventura County Planning Commission of a battery storage system project known as the Shoals project proposed by Wellhead Power Solutions LLC" (County Of Ventura Permit Number PL24-twenty4). The council split on the motion: Mayor MacArthur, Councilwoman Rodriguez, Councilmember Perello and Mayor Pro Tem Turan voted in favor; Councilmember Starr, Councilwoman Basua and Councilwoman Perez voted no.
The issue drew public comment before the council recessed into closed session. Hal Dittmer, president of Wellhead Power Solutions and the developer of the Shoals Energy Project, urged the council to delay any lawsuit while project proponents continue permitting work. "Given the recent publicity about battery fires... I get it that you want to take a special look at this," Dittmer said, adding that the company is proposing "to build a very large $500,000,000 project" that he said would improve local energy reliability and produce property tax revenue for schools. He told council members he and his team were continuing to work with county planners and the Oxnard Fire Department and asked the council not to initiate litigation immediately while lenders are being lined up.
Council members who voted to authorize the legal action emphasized deference to public-safety and land-use concerns raised during the council—s closed-session review and regulatory review of the county approval. Those who opposed the action said they were not yet convinced litigation was warranted and expressed interest in additional conversations with the developer and county staff.
The Shoals project, as discussed in public comment, is proposed on agricultural land south of Gonzales Road and about a half-mile west of Victoria Avenue in unincorporated Ventura County. According to remarks made from the podium, the developer has characterized it as a large-scale energy storage facility sited on county land; the project is not within Oxnard city limits but is within the region the council said it seeks to influence because of safety and regional reliability concerns.
The action directs the city attorney to commence a legal challenge; the announcement did not include a timetable for filing. The city attorney will handle next steps and any filings in the appropriate court. Dittmer said the project team had been talking with lenders and local permitting agencies and asked the council to allow negotiations and further technical review before pursuing litigation.
The council—s 4-3 direction to the city attorney follows months of public attention to battery storage safety and county-level planning actions. The city—s announcement did not indicate whether the challenge would seek to overturn the county decision, delay project construction, or advance other remedies.
The matter is expected to generate further legal filings and public updates as the city attorney proceeds.
