Rancho Cucamonga — Battery Energy Storage Facilities

Site Design, Screening, and Access

Every BESS site must be enclosed by a minimum 6-ft, non-scalable solid wall of decorative concrete masonry block or decorative concrete tilt-up construction. Landscaping is required along the wall’s outside edge; use the City’s landscaping and screening page for related standards. § 17.109.030(D)

Driveways and pathways between BESS structures and associated pad-mounted structures must use pervious pavement or a similar material, such as gravel. On-site lighting is limited to the minimum needed for safety and operations. § 17.109.030(E)-(F)

The facility needs at least 1 maintenance-vehicle parking space and maintenance-vehicle access meeting the dimensional standards in Chapter 17.64. The driveway entrance must have a locking tubular-steel wrought-iron gate backed by perforated metal sheeting painted to match the gate; see parking for the related access standards. § 17.109.030(G)

Operations, Safety, and Construction

Applicants must demonstrate compliance with the City’s noise standards by submitting manufacturer noise ratings for equipment and components. The planning director may require a separate noise study; related citywide controls are addressed through performance standards. § 17.109.030(H)

BESS signs must comply with ANSI Z535 and identify the technology, special hazards, suppression system, and 24-hour emergency contact information. Disconnect and emergency-shutoff information must be visibly displayed on a light-reflective surface, and pad-mounted transformers and substations need voltage-warning signs at their bases. § 17.109.030(I)

BESS must comply with applicable City building and construction regulations and the adopted Fire Code. Utilities must be underground unless Southern California Edison or Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility provides the planning director written documentation that undergrounding is prohibited. § 17.109.030(J)-(K)

Emergency Operations Plan

Every application must include an emergency operations plan. The approved plan must be provided to the system owner, fire marshal, and Rancho Cucamonga Fire District, with a permanent accessible copy kept at an approved location for personnel and emergency responders. § 17.109.040

The plan must address:

• Safe shutdown, de-energizing, isolation, and restart procedures. § 17.109.040(A)
• Inspection and testing of alarms, interlocks, and controls. § 17.109.040(B)
• Responses to battery-management-system notices and potentially dangerous failures. § 17.109.040(C)
• Fire, explosion, liquid or vapor release, equipment damage, evacuation, notification, and fire-control procedures. § 17.109.040(D)
• Handling and qualified removal of damaged BESS equipment. § 17.109.040(E)
• Any additional procedures City officials find necessary for neighboring-property and responder safety. § 17.109.040(F)
• Drills and local-first-responder training schedules. § 17.109.040(G)

Decommissioning, Ownership, and Abandonment

Every application must include a decommissioning plan covering physical removal, waste disposal, expected facility life, cost estimate, funding method, restoration, and contingencies for both intact and fire-damaged units. § 17.109.050(A)-(G)

The owner or operator must implement that plan at abandonment or removal and continuously maintain City-approved financial security payable to the City for removal throughout the facility’s life. All decommissioning costs are the applicant’s responsibility. § 17.109.050(H)-(I)

A BESS is considered abandoned after it has ceased operating for more than 1 year. If the owner or operator does not follow the decommissioning plan, the City may enter the property and use available bond or security to remove the facility and restore the site. § 17.109.070

A new owner or operator must notify the planning department within 30 days after the change. § 17.109.060

Applicability and Master Plan Threshold

Chapter 17.109 applies to utility-scale BESS permitted, installed, or modified after its effective date, except ordinary maintenance and repair. Existing facilities installed before the effective date are not required to comply, but a modification, retrofit, or replacement that increases designed discharge duration or power rating is subject to the chapter. § 17.109.020

BESS sites on existing Southern California Edison or Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility-owned properties are exempt from Chapter 17.109’s requirements. § 17.109.020 Whether a particular project qualifies for that property-ownership exemption should be verified with the jurisdiction.

Sites of 10 acres or greater require a Master Plan application and City Council approval. The Master Plan findings require consistency with the General Plan and compliance with applicable Title 17 requirements. § 17.109.030(B); § 17.22.020(D)

Checklist

• Confirm that the site is in NI or IE and obtain a Conditional Use Permit. § 17.109.030(A)(1)
• Document that the parcel is within 1 mile of the connecting utility. § 17.109.030(A)(2)
• Demonstrate at least 1,000 ft of separation from residentially zoned properties. § 17.109.030(A)(3)
• Keep the net site below 10 acres, or submit a Master Plan for a site 10 acres or greater. § 17.109.030(B)
• Show 10-ft minimum setbacks from all property lot lines. § 17.109.030(C)
• Provide a 6-ft minimum non-scalable decorative solid wall and exterior-edge landscaping. § 17.109.030(D)
• Use pervious pavement or similar material for internal driveways and pathways. § 17.109.030(E)
• Provide 1 maintenance-vehicle parking space, compliant access, and the required locking gate. § 17.109.030(G)
• Submit equipment noise ratings and prepare for a City-requested noise study. § 17.109.030(H)
• Include compliant hazard, suppression, contact, shutoff, and voltage-warning signage. § 17.109.030(I)
• Submit emergency operations and decommissioning plans, including City-approved financial security. § 17.109.040; § 17.109.050
• Notify the planning department within 30 days of a change in owner or operator. § 17.109.060

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

A large battery-storage project is not something a homeowner can place in a residential area under this chapter. Rancho Cucamonga limits utility-scale BESS to NI and IE sites with a permit, keeps it 1,000 ft away from residential zoning, and requires screening, safety plans, and money set aside for eventual removal. § 17.109.030; § 17.109.040; § 17.109.050

Source References

• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.010 — purpose and intent.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.020 — applicability and utility-property exemption.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.030 — BESS siting and development standards.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.040 — emergency operations plan.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.050 — decommissioning plan and financial security.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.060 — ownership or operator-change notice.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.109.070 — abandonment.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.22.020(D) — Master Plan findings.
• Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Code, § 17.76.010 — alternative-energy-system purpose and rooftop-solar cross-reference.