Town schedules Oct. 6 hearing on voluntary annexation petitions tied to proposed BESS project

At the Sept. 17 meeting the town’s legal counsel, Aaron Culp, described voluntary annexation petitions submitted by multiple property owners including Mooney Farms LLC and interests tied to a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS). Culp said the petitions qualify as "super‑voluntary" (100% of property owners signed) and that contiguity exceeds the statutory 1/8 requirement; a public hearing on the petitions is set for Oct. 6.

Culp said that following the hearing the council will consider a fiscal plan and later a vote on annexation. He noted the town intends to use tax‑increment financing for the proposed BESS buildout and cited an estimate of roughly $1.3 million annually in tax revenue when the site is fully developed. Culp reiterated that zoning classifications for the parcels will not change as part of the annexation — parcels will be annexed with existing zoning in place.