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Valley Center staff propose allowing ground‑mounted solar and battery storage in industrial zones
Summary
Planning staff asked the commission to permit ground‑mounted solar energy systems and associated battery storage as a permitted use in industrial districts, require vegetative ground cover and NFPA 855 compliance for batteries, and include decommissioning procedures referencing SB 481; staff will return the amendment in December for formal action.
Valley Center planning staff presented draft zoning changes to allow ground‑mounted solar energy conversion systems in industrial districts and to set safety and decommissioning standards for any associated battery storage.
The staff presentation, led by a planning staff member (Speaker 3), said the draft would treat ground‑mounted solar as a permitted use in industrial zones rather than a conditional use and would allow ‘‘storage facilities with batter that could have batteries’’ if they meet safety standards. The battery systems in the draft would need to comply with National Fire Protection Association Standard 855, and mechanical equipment could be enclosed by fencing with required signage. The draft also specifies vegetative ground cover — for example prairie grasses — to reduce erosion and runoff around ground‑mounted arrays.
On decommissioning, Speaker 3 referenced the state statute cited in the draft, saying the plan "felt the decommissioning requirements that were in that statute" provided a model for local authority. In the draft language, decommissioning "may occur in the event [the system is] not in use for 12 consecutive months," a phrasing that prompted a clarification question from the chair (Speaker 1). "The way I read the rest of this, I'm curious why that doesn't say maybe required," Speaker 1 said; Speaker 3 replied that the use of "may" preserves council discretion where an owner is actively working to restore service or address state‑level regulatory issues.
Concerns about long‑term liability surfaced in discussion: one participant (Speaker 5) asked how the city would handle a situation in which owners go through chapter 7 bankruptcy and cannot be reached, raising the possibility of a bond or other financial assurance to cover cleanup and recycling costs. Staff acknowledged that such bankruptcy and bonding scenarios are drafting issues the city should consider.
No formal vote was taken. Staff requested feedback and said the amendment would be brought back to the commission in December for further consideration and potential action.
Next steps: staff will revise the draft language based on feedback and return the item to the commission in December; there was no vote this evening.
