Johnson County considers treating long‑duration energy storage as a standalone land use with tiered regulation

Johnson County officials presented options Nov. 20 for regulating long‑duration energy storage—facilities capable of storing electricity for 10 hours or more—to ensure the code can accommodate future storage technologies without creating safety or land‑use conflicts.

Planning staff said the county’s existing code permits battery storage only as an accessory to utility‑scale solar, and that national practice has shifted toward treating storage as a separate land use. "Long term energy storage are facilities that capable of storing electricity for 10 plus hours to support the grid," staff said, and recommended defining storage as a distinct land use with capacity tiers and permitting that varies by facility size and technology.

The Berkeley Group white paper in the meeting packet supported a tiered approach: permit small facilities with a streamlined review, require conditional permitting for medium and large facilities, and include standards to mitigate visual and safety impacts—setbacks, screening, fencing, lighting and requirements to meet National Fire Protection Association standards (NFPA Section 855). Staff emphasized working closely with local fire districts and updating local codes to match evolving national standards.

Commissioners pressed staff on who would pay for specialized fire suppression equipment and whether the state is developing uniform standards; staff said no statewide standard was identified and recommended the county craft local, technology‑neutral tiers while consulting engineers and fire authorities. The board asked staff to continue research and return with a tiered regulatory proposal for Planning Commission review in spring 2026.