Southampton Planning Board Advances BESS Bylaw Toward Public Hearing, Sets July Solar Date

EASTHAMPTON -- June 24, 2026, Southampton Planning Board advances battery storage bylaw amid legal overreach concerns. The board met June 24, approving two Approval Not Required plans and a residential stormwater special permit while devoting much of the evening to its draft battery energy storage system zoning bylaw. Planning consultant Richard warned that proposed changes by board member Jeff Boter, tightening use categories in the RR and RN districts from site plan review to special permit, could combine with an existing prohibition in the water supply protection overlay district to leave fewer than 5 percent of the town's land area open to BESS installations under site plan review, potentially prompting the Attorney General to "reject the bylaw in its entirety." The board set a tentative July 21 public hearing date for a solar and BESS application filed June 9 for 43 and 53 Pleasant Street, noting the project will be evaluated under current law because no BESS bylaw has yet been adopted. The board also voted unanimously to raise its planning consultant's FY27 contract cap from $2,500 to $4,500.