Crow Wing County board adopts land-use amendment with rules on battery energy storage setbacks

County land-services staff returned to the board seeking final approval of an updated land-use ordinance that the planning commission had recommended with a minor modification to battery energy storage siting rules.

Staff said the process began March 17 with a 30-day comment period through April 17; the planning commission held a public hearing May 21 and recommended approval with a change to Article 42.12C. The provision as discussed would require a two-mile setback from a municipality boundary for battery energy storage systems unless the planning commission, acting through the interim-use or conditional-use permit process, found cause to reduce that setback.

Board members asked whether airport properties would be affected; staff said airports are generally managed by their own planning and zoning commissions and that the setback language applies mainly to adjoining properties off the airport. Commissioner Coring moved to adopt the ordinance amendment; Commissioner Barrows seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

What this means: The ordinance amendment completes the county-level approval process as described by staff. It gives the planning commission authority to consider reduced setbacks through existing permitting processes rather than requiring a variance in each instance, and it clarifies that airport-managed property is generally outside county planning control.