The approval of use permits, building permits or other entitlements for utility-scale BESS without the necessary specific safety regulations and standards in place in a BESS zoning ordinance presents a current and immediate threat to the public’s safety and welfare.  Santa Cruz County’s current draft of the Energy Storage Combining District Ordinance, despite a few updates, is still missing many specific standards and does not contain strong enough compliance measures to protect the public and our environment.  The BESS Ordinance in its current draft form endangers the public, exposing people to unacceptable health and safety risks.  Please do NOT approve the Draft BESS Ordinance “in concept” or at all until these strong compliance measures  to protect public health and welfare are incorporated.  

 

WE URGE YOU TO PLEASE SPEAK and/or WRITE ABOUT THE FOLLOWING CRITICAL ISSUES – 

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1) Move the Board Meeting to Watsonville before voting on whether to start environmental review (CEQA) on these new rules and the proposed 90 Minto Road BESS Project.

2) Do not allow these battery energy projects on agricultural land at all.

3) Require at least a 1000' setback from all residential property boundaries.

 

4) Require a complete analysis of alternative sites.

5) Require the developer to do an environmental report (EIR) for their battery energy project, separate from the Ordinance.

 

6) Require a complete environmental report for the Ordinance – not a shortened version.

7) Do not allow lithium batteries to be used in large energy storage projects.

8) Hold town hall meetings in Watsonville during the evenings with large signs on major roadways for notice.