Greenfield Planning Board talks steps for battery energy storage system, data center regulations
Greenfield Planning Director Ella Wise is preparing regulations for battery energy storage systems and, after that, data centers. The city adopted a one-year moratorium on data center construction in September, giving the Planning Board time to develop rules before the moratorium expires in September 2027.
Greenfield Planning Director Ella Wise told the Planning Board that the city will first develop a zoning ordinance for battery energy storage systems, with assistance from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. The draft would establish rules based on facility size, zoning district, permitting requirements, setbacks and potential environmental mitigation.
Wise said Greenfield plans to begin drafting data center regulations in 2027 after a state model bylaw is released. The Planning Board is expected to research best practices, seek public input and work with other city departments, with noise identified by board member Thomas Bledsoe as a major issue. The city’s one-year moratorium on data center construction, adopted by the City Council in September, is scheduled to expire in September 2027.