Battery storage rules: Mesa, AZ
Mesa's City Council set a 1,000 ft separation between battery energy storage facilities and residential uses on January 12, 2026 (Ordinance No. 5976).
Mesa: battery storage facilities 1,000 ft from homes
The City Council adopted a 1,000 ft separation from residential uses for battery energy storage facilities on January 12, 2026, by a 6–1 vote (Ordinance No. 5976). Council members said the distance would be revisited as technology and NFPA 855 evolve. Mesa City Council minutes, January 12, 2026, item 8-a (Ordinance No. 5976)
Fire and building codes in force
- State Fire Code: A.A.C. R4-36-201 incorporates the International Fire Code by reference, and the codified text reviewed names the 2018 edition. Fire districts and cities adopt their own editions subject to State Fire Marshal review. Ask your fire district or city fire department which IFC edition and local amendments apply to your site.
- Phoenix adopted the 2024 IFC with city amendments, effective February 17, 2026, including local amendments to Section 1207 (energy storage systems) (Phoenix Fire Code 2024 amendment packet).
- Tucson's 2024 Fire Code amendments list no changes to Chapter 12 (Tucson 2024 Fire Code Amendments).
How a project is permitted
The state Line Siting Committee reviews "plants" of 100 MW or more, but the statute defines plants as thermal electric, nuclear or hydroelectric generating units; battery storage is not listed (A.R.S. 40-360). The Commission's Chair said its authority over non-thermal resources such as storage "hasn't been significantly updated since 1971" (ACC news release, October 3, 2025). Siting is therefore mostly local zoning. SB 1348 (2025), enacted as Chapter 99, lets cities and towns designate a reviewer for fire plans on municipal and private buildings, with a 60-day review deadline.
Check a specific system
For a proposal or a system you're evaluating, answer a few questions in BESScheck: you get the rules that apply here, a checklist of what to ask, and the sources behind each line.