While we all reap the benefits of green energy, a relative few in the backcountry bear the brunt of the costs.
That’s where many solar and wind projects and battery storage facilities have been built, despite community pushback.
For years, county officials have heard complaints from residents about the permitting process, fire risks and environmental impacts associated with these projects, which are known in the industry as battery energy storage systems (BESS).
This year, they produced a draft ordinance that aims to address these issues in unincorporated communities and presented it to the public at an information session last week.
Among other things, the ordinance lays out a tiered permitting process depending on the size and scope of a project. It requires projects to be set back 100 feet from property lines.
It also specifies that large projects should be avoided in residential areas, but can be developed in commercial, industrial and agricultural zones. The document would amend the county’s zoning ordinance.
“Overall, this approach helps us balance between the need for grid support and energy reliability with appropriate community safeguards,” said Chen Levy, County of San Diego Planning and Development Services staff member.
The county did its public presentation via Zoom. Among those tuning in was Mason Smith from Boulevard.
Smith told KPBS that the current draft ordinance doesn’t go far enough to protect fire-prone communities like Boulevard, which has been hit with multiple wildfires this year.
“To know that and to still put it in a high-fire severity zone is very strange to me, and so I would like to see that, at least, much more taken into account,” Smith said. “I would love to just see larger setbacks, huge considerations into how the fire severity is up here, and also protection of the groundwater.”
Levy said areas like the backcountry are among the few places that have enough available land for these projects.
“Most of the unincorporated areas are designated as high or very high-fire hazard severity zones,” Levy explained. “So prohibiting BESS in these areas would effectively place a de facto moratorium of BESS, which then prevents us from reaching the renewable energy goals that the state set.”
County staff said they will gather the public’s feedback and make edits to the ordinance, which they hope will go to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors by Spring 2027.
Another information meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17.
