Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Mesa council debates 1,000-foot battery storage setback as NextEra rezoning looms
Summary
Mesa councilors spent much of a study session reviewing a proposed ordinance that would require 1,000-foot separations between battery energy storage systems and residential uses. Staff and developers said the rule would allow two planned facilities to proceed while one NextEra site would need rezoning; councilors raised safety, land‑use and economic concerns and staff said adoption is scheduled for the Jan. 12 council meeting.
City of Mesa planning staff told council on Jan. 12 that an ordinance introduced earlier would require a 1,000‑foot separation between battery energy storage systems (BESS) and residential land uses, a standard staff said was consistent with recommendations they had been directed to bring forward.
Councilmember Jen Duff said the separation is excessive and harms economic development by reserving otherwise usable land. "This thousand feet does not have any merit or support or evidence that is necessary," she said, arguing the setback wastes land and that smaller buffers — she described 100 or 400 feet — could be adequate if backed by testing and safety conditions.
Staff said…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
