Commissioners narrowly allow Gillespie County to join regional energy planning group amid battery‑storage concerns

The Kendall County Commissioners Court voted 3–2 on Aug. 26 to let neighboring Gillespie County join the Hill Country Energy Subregional Planning Commission (HCESRPC), a body the court formed earlier this year to coordinate county resistance and standards for large battery energy storage developments.

Commissioner McCall outlined the interlocal history and said the subregional panel exists to represent counties’ concerns about battery energy storage systems (BESS). Commissioner Carpenter urged solidarity — "strength in numbers" — saying larger groups make it harder for developers and the state to ignore local objections. Several commissioners raised concerns that state entities (LCRA, PEC) and a 3‑91 commission had not been responsive and questioned whether additional legislative advocacy might be more effective.

Safety and standards: One commissioner noted the county adopted the 2024 International Fire Code and referenced NFPA 855 standards, which county staff and consultants wrote into county guidance to increase mitigation authority; commissioners pressed that any facility should provide multiple ingress/egress points and meet county road and safety standards.

Vote and next steps: Commissioner McCall moved to accept Gillespie County’s request; Commissioner Carpenter seconded. The motion carried 3–2 with precincts 1, 2 and 4 in favor and the County Judge and the commissioner from precinct 3 opposed. The court instructed staff to amend the interlocal agreement (ILA) language to include Gillespie and return a revised contract for formal approval.