Southborough planner proposes modernized Industrial Park zoning, adds BESS and data-center safeguards

Planning staff presented a major update to the Industrial Park (IP) district on Feb. 9 intended to modernize allowed uses and add performance-based safeguards for new infrastructure. Key additions in the draft: battery energy storage systems (BESS) and data centers.

On BESS, staff proposed conforming local code to the state's draft small clean-energy siting rules (225 CMR 29), adding requirements for emergency-operation plans, annual updates to emergency plans, and decommissioning plans with financial surety. The draft proposes that an owner or operator provide financial surety "in a form acceptable to the town such as a surety bond, irrevocable letter of credit, escrow account, or other instrument approved by the planning board, financial surety in an amount not to exceed a 125 percent of the estimated decommissioning and site restoration costs," with periodic review and adjustment.

On data centers, the draft creates a special-permit track with specific criteria to evaluate infrastructure impacts, including energy and water use, noise and vibration, fire/safety response, site security, and the potential need for independent consultant review. Board members discussed whether all the special-permit factors should be kept in the IP article or placed elsewhere in the zoning code or rules and regulations for later implementation.

The board received technical suggestions (bond sizing review intervals, whether review intervals should be "every 5 years" or a clearer phrase) and public comments. Planner noted the intent to prepare a town-meeting presentation to simplify the article for voters while retaining technical safeguards.

The board voted to continue the public hearing to Feb. 23 to allow revisions and further review.