HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmission for Public Hearing. June 6th.The residents of this community, across from the River View Park on the Cedar River, are grateful that you Mr.
Mayor, Council members and other City Staff have heard our concerns regarding the pre‐application for a
Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
This is a ‘Grid‐sized,’ 9.3 acres of lithium‐ion Megapacks, and would sit 50’behind our modest homes, with a
total footprint of 16 acres.
As a result of hearing our concerns you passed an ordinance placing a moratorium on BESS in Renton. We thank
you for this and support the moratorium.
**BESS hazardous installations have no place 50' from residential communities, from families enjoying the
safety and security of their homes, where children play.
There are many documented instances of thermal runaway involving BESS, including, overheating, fires and
toxic gas emissions. Battery fires are very hard to control and take hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to
control.
There are recorded incidents of problems as recently as February and April of this year in the US involving the
breakdown of safety measures, software malfunctions and overheating battery packs.
As you know there are no BESS installations in WA state, and in the US most are away from habitation, and in
isolated locations.
Thorough and adequate regulations have lagged behind the explosion of BESS. The alleged structural safety
designs and guidelines, and software programs continue to have problems.
SUMMARY. There are many elements about the involved parcel that would make it difficult, if not impossible to
proceed to permitting. The designation is Resource Conservation (Rural) Zoning: LDSF. Low Density Single
Family. (1 unit/10 acres). This parcel also consists of critical and sensitive areas that include; Dense woodland,
slide hazard, Zone 1 aquifer, 2 documented streams, a wetland and is across from the Cedar River. This BESS
would result in total destruction of this natural area, wild‐life corridor and put our community at risk
This proposed installation is NON‐CONFORMING to the land use outlined for this parcel, and it takes up 100%
of the buildable area, where only 35% is allowed.
BESS should be in locations designated for industrial installations, and well distanced from communities,
habitation and critical and sensitive areas.
We ask that you refuse this pre‐application from moving forward to permitting on this parcel, and any
modification that might involve a smaller footprint.
We are optimistic that this proposal will be, rejected by the city as inappropriate for this location due to land
use restrictions, critical and sensitive areas, land slide hazard and because of its proximity to our community of
modest homes since 1943, and that any proposed modification of this pre‐application for the same reasons.
We believe in Green Energy, but not if it threatens communities, families, the environment, wildlife and our
waterways.
Thank you. Nicola Robinson