Owens Cross Roads council tables rezoning for proposed battery recycling plant after fire-safety concerns

Owens Cross Roads council members voted to table Ordinance 24-013, a request to rezone 195 KMA Road from estate residential to a special district, after extended debate about fire-safety and environmental risks tied to a proposed battery recycling plant.

The planning commission recommended the rezoning, and Jason Denicki, speaking for the commission, confirmed the developer’s plan is for a battery recycling facility but emphasized that rezoning "does not mean the battery plant goes in" and that additional permits and approvals would still be required. Denicki told the council the city can take the time it needs to review the application and that the planning commission’s recommendation was not unanimous.

Council members pressed safety concerns, citing recent high-profile lithium-battery storage and recycling fires that required long evacuations and complicated cleanups. "You don't put out an EV fire," one council member said, summarizing firefighting guidance; "you cool it and hope to keep the thermal runaway from it affecting the other batteries." The speaker referenced National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidance about 1,000-foot standoffs and described lengthy incidents in other states where facilities burned for days and required prolonged evacuations.

Members asked the applicant and staff for more documentation about the company and its equipment. Council members reported that the applicant provided machine information described as meeting "Java" standards rather than U.S. certifications and asked staff to follow up on whether the company has experienced incidents at other sites. The council requested copies of the news reports, NFPA summaries, and EPA studies that were cited.

Several council members, including Councilman Claude and Councilman Scott, said rezoning to a special district is a zoning step that does not by itself authorize construction of a battery facility; Scott asked staff to clarify the sequence of approvals and any time limits tied to rezoning. After discussion, the council signaled it would not act tonight on Ordinance 24-013 and the ordinance was tabled for further review and information gathering.

The council did not record a roll-call vote on tabling in the transcript; staff said they would circulate the materials cited by the safety speaker and follow up with additional information about the applicant’s history and the timeline for approvals.

What happens next: Council members asked staff to collect and share articles, NFPA guidance and any documentation on the applicant's past operations; the council will revisit the rezoning request after receiving that information.