CHESTERFIELD — After the state announced new measures for the building of large-scale solar arrays set to take full effect on Oct. 1, the Planning Board is set to establish local rules for battery energy storage systems, also known as BESS.
With a draft prepared, a public hearing was held Thursday night to air out any shortcomings before a special Town Meeting that is intended to be held before Oct 1. The draft is expected to be finalized during the Planning Board’s next meeting on Sep. 14.
The proposed bylaw, which has been posted to the town’s website, lays out requirements for land clearing, soil erosion, wetlands and wildlife habitat. Chesterfield has steep slopes and areas officials described as environmentally sensitive, making the location of large battery installations a particular concern.
The Planning Board, led by Sarah Hamilton, made clear that the town already has bylaws regulating solar arrays, and that this bylaw specifically addresses batteries.
The bylaw would prohibit clear-cutting in areas designated as critical natural areas or important habitat and would require applicants to demonstrate that they had considered alternative locations.
Officials said the goal is to determine whether a proposed site is the best available location while minimizing damage to the surrounding environment.
The setback distance presented in the draft was the main issue voiced by residents during the two-hour long meeting. In the proposed bylaw, a setback of 200 feet was proposed. A handful of residents said this was too aggressive, and would only allow systems to go up in approximately 6% of town.
Also under discussion is the issue of lithium-ion battery systems in people’s electric vehicles. With a minimum of 250 kilo-watt hours proposed, would people be able to store their electric vehicles and their chargers within a 200-feet setback?
This is a question the Planning Board will be exploring ahead of a finalized draft.
The Planning Board has divided the systems into tiers based on their energy-storage capacity. The proposed local permitting system would cover the first three tiers, while larger, utility-scale systems would remain under state regulation.
Other communities are also racing to finalize bylaws, including Amherst. Plainfield has already enacted a bylaw.
