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Henderson County adopts first reading of moratorium on Tier 2 battery storage systems
Summary
Fiscal Court adopted on first reading Ordinance 26-03, instituting a moratorium on Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as recommended by the City-County Planning Commission; second reading is scheduled for May 12, 2026.
Henderson County Judge/Executive Brad Schneider read Ordinance 26-03 into the record at the Fiscal Court’s April 28 meeting and the court adopted the measure on its first reading by a unanimous roll-call vote.
The ordinance, recommended to Fiscal Court by the City-County Planning Commission, would institute a moratorium on Tier 2 battery energy storage systems (BESS). Judge Schneider summarized the commission’s recommendation, saying the moratorium would last two years from the effective date of any enabling ordinance or until planning commission updates are accepted by Fiscal Court, whichever comes first.
Magistrate Tompkins moved to adopt the ordinance on first reading and Magistrate Southard seconded. The roll-call vote recorded all magistrates and the judge voting “Aye.” Schneider ordered the ordinance published in summary form and scheduled a second reading for the court’s May 12, 2026 regular meeting.
The moratorium is intended to pause new Tier 2 BESS approvals while local zoning language is reviewed and potentially updated. The Planning Commission forwarded the recommendation after a public hearing held in compliance with K.R.S. 100.211, according to the judge’s statement.
No public testimony opposing or supporting the ordinance was recorded in the meeting minutes during the first-reading action. The council did not amend the ordinance on first reading; any definitional or procedural changes would be handled during the public-input process before final action.
