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Athens staff proposes BESS zoning rules, council member discloses prior employer connection
Summary
City planner proposed allowing Battery Energy Storage Systems in Industrial zones via Specific Use Permit with NFPA signage, inventory, insurance, decommissioning bonds and environmental monitoring; Member Jim Kerlin disclosed his employer had prior involvement in BESS.
City staff on Feb. 18 proposed a zoning definition and regulatory framework for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), recommending allowance in Industrial zoning only through a Specific Use Permit and a set of safety, siting and financial-security requirements.
City Planner Ronda Cockerham presented the proposed BESS definition and a draft of supplemental regulations mirroring many of the rules described for data centers: prohibitions in Residential and Mixed-Use districts and in floodplains and wetlands; required buffers and setbacks where necessary; screening and noise controls; NFPA-required safety signage; complete inventory reporting for installed equipment; and general liability insurance.
Cockerham also described requirements for decommissioning and financial security, such as bonds, and recommended environmental monitoring. Council members raised questions about enforcement and safety oversight given the chemical and fire risks associated with some BESS designs.
Early in the meeting, Member Jim Kerlin disclosed that his employer had previously been involved with battery energy storage systems. The council recorded the disclosure and no conflict was declared for the session.
No formal vote occurred on the draft BESS language during the Feb. 18 work session; staff said it would return with draft ordinance text and SUP application requirements for later action.
