Battery storage rules: San Diego County, CA
The Board of Supervisors declined a blanket moratorium, choosing enhanced safety reviews and interim standards instead. The May 2024 Otay Mesa / Gateway indoor fire (contained to 1 of 7 buildings) informs the county's proportionate standards.
San Diego County: no moratorium; County Fire requires 100 ft from homes
The Board did not adopt a moratorium (September 11, 2024) and directed County Fire to develop standards instead. County Fire's BESS guidelines (September 17, 2026, no longer interim) require battery systems to be 100 ft from lot lines with residential, educational or institutional occupancies. A draft county zoning amendment (August 2026) would prohibit battery storage over 600 kWh in residential zones; the county plans public hearings in 2027. Board of Supervisors Minute Order No. 5 (September 11, 2024); SDCFPD Fire Protection Guidelines for BESS Facilities (September 17, 2026), item 9; County of San Diego, BESS zoning ordinance project page
Fire and building codes in force
- 2026 County Consolidated Fire Code (9th edition), amending the 2025 CFC, effective April 2 2026
- SDCFPD Fire Protection Guidelines for BESS Facilities (Sept 17 2026; interim status removed)
- 2025 California Fire Code (CFC), Title 24 Part 9, effective Jan 1 2026; adopts NFPA 855 (2023)
- OSFM triennial code cycle; 180-day local-adoption window
- CPUC GO 167-C (Res. ESRB-13, Mar 13 2025)
How a project is permitted
Three pathways: (1) CPUC for public-utility BESS; (2) CEC AB 205 Opt-In (non-utility, requires community benefits); or (3) County Major Use Permit on a tiered framework by chemistry / size (MWh) / zone / project type.
Setbacks and spacing
- 100 ft from lot lines where residential, educational or institutional occupancies are located (applies to battery systems); fire apparatus roads must reach within 150 ft of all portions of the facility; spacing between enclosures is based on large-scale fire test results. Fire / building code SDCFPD Fire Protection Guidelines for BESS Facilities (Sept 17 2026), items 9, 10 and 13
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.