Liberty battery storage facility recommended for denial; City Council has final say

LIBERTY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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The Liberty Planning and Zoning Commission has voted to recommend denying a proposed battery storage facility, but the decision is not final. The proposal now heads to the City Council.

The commission's recommendation aligns with city staff, which also recommended denial, citing the proposed use as fundamentally incompatible and inconsistent with the character and plans of the surrounding neighborhood.

The project, proposed by Portland-based GridStor, would place a 200-megawatt lithium-ion battery energy storage facility on property currently zoned for single-family homes.

According to project documents, the batteries would store excess electricity from the power grid and release it back during periods of high demand. The company is seeking a Special Use Permit to build at the site.

GridStor representatives described the technology as a way to stabilize energy prices and support clean energy. They also said it would bring jobs to the area during construction.

Some union and trade leaders also spoke in support of the project, saying it would benefit local development, support the community, and strengthen Missouri's power grid.

Paula Dolt lives just a block from the proposed site and is among the neighbors opposing the project.

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"I do not want it near our homes," Dolt said in an interview ahead of the meeting.

"Our kids deserve better than that. We deserve better than that," Dolt said.

Residents packed Tuesday's commission meeting to voice their concerns.

Neighbors raised questions about the implications of placing an industrial building in a residential area and expressed worry about the impact on their community.

One resident said she believed the facility would hurt her property values and affect her retirement.

Signs protesting the facility have been posted in the neighborhood since March. The facility would be built at the intersection of Birmingham Road and Ruth Ewing Road.

A protest petition submitted by property owners within 185 feet of the site was found to be legally valid by the city. As a result, the proposal will require six City Council members to vote in favor for it to pass.

The City Council is expected to take up the matter on Aug. 24, giving residents another opportunity to weigh in.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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