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Monterey County to start public process for battery energy storage ordinance after last year’s fire
Summary
County housing staff said the Board of Supervisors has directed staff to draft zoning regulations for battery energy storage systems and announced kickoff community meetings starting March 18 to gather public input and analyze how state building, fire and utility rules overlap with local permitting.
Monterey County will launch a public process to draft a local ordinance regulating battery energy storage systems, county staff said March 11.
Craig Spencer, director of Monterey County Housing and Community Development, said the Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare an ordinance following concerns raised by last year’s Vistra Energy battery fire. Spencer announced an initial kickoff meeting set for March 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Prunedale Grange Hall and said the county has posted a web page and an interested‑parties email for updates.
"We have gotten direction from our board of supervisors to prepare an ordinance regulating battery energy storage systems," Spencer said, adding that staff will collect information through public meetings and online resources. He said the ordinance effort will focus primarily on behind‑the‑meter systems, and on developing zoning rules for how battery projects are evaluated and permitted.
Spencer said staff will analyze overlapping state requirements — including building and fire codes and relevant California Public Utilities Commission provisions — as part of the ordinance development and will consider whether and how to address existing installations within the county.
The county is soliciting public input in the ordinance’s early phases and said additional meetings and online documents will follow as staff prepare draft language. Spencer encouraged residents to sign up on the county’s interested‑parties list for notices and document updates.
What’s next: initial community kickoff meeting March 18; staff will return to the public with subsequent meetings and draft materials as the ordinance proceeds.
