Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Millis proposes zoning definitions for battery storage and data centers; residents ask about siting, noise and AI‑scale facilities
Loading...
Summary
Article 17 would add definitions and a three‑tier classification for battery energy storage systems (BESS) and data storage centers. Fincom described the change as a first step; residents raised concerns about potential siting in residential zones, noise, emissions and the possible inclusion of large AI/data centers under broad definitions.
At the pre‑Town Meeting session on April 29, Fincom reviewed Article 17, which would add definitions for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and data storage centers to the town’s zoning bylaws and add three items to Table 5 to classify BESS by tier.
Chair John Lohr read the definitions: a BESS is "a system consisting of a battery module or modules to store electrical energy derived from solar, an energy source, or direct from the electrical grid," and the article defines tier 1 as less than 250 kW, tier 2 as between 250 kW and 10 MW, and tier 3 as between 10 MW and 100 MW. The article also adds a definition for a data storage center as a building or series of buildings whose primary purpose is to house high‑performance servers and supporting infrastructure.
Fincom and Planning Board representatives said the article is only adding definitions and that if the definitions pass, the Planning Board will conduct public hearings and draft subsequent zoning language specifying where different tiers are permitted. Jim McKay (Planning Board/CPC) said, “If we don't put something in place, people can come in and just put it anywhere... we're starting the right process so that we have control over it.”
Residents pressed for clarity. Mary Ellen Espinosa said she was "concerned about the size of these items. I'm concerned about the noise. I'm concerned about any emissions." Others asked whether tier 1 BESS units could be permitted in residential zones, how many units could be placed on one lot, and whether the data center definition could be narrowed to exclude large AI‑scale operations. Planning and Fincom members acknowledged those concerns and said detailed zoning standards—permitting, special permits, and siting restrictions—would be developed in the next step.
The committee recommended approval 9–0 in prior Fincom action; the definitions are positioned as a preparatory move to enable subsequent, site‑specific zoning rules and public hearings.
Next steps: If Town Meeting approves the definitions, the Planning Board will continue drafting bylaws and host public hearings to determine permitted zones, permitting pathways (special permit, site plan review), and any size, noise, or emissions controls.
