The planning board approved the site plan for the Flatiron Energy Energizer Storage battery storage facility proposed for 284 Eastern Ave. at its regular meeting last week.
In addition, the board recommended approval of a special permit and variances for the project when it comes before the zoning board of appeals on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Flatiron Energy is an energy developer, owner, and operator that owns and operates the energy storage systems it develops. Flatiron is looking to finalize the purchase of the Eastern Avenue property in early December, according to Flatiron co-founder and partner Jonathan Poor.
The company has offices in Boston, New York City, and Boulder, Colorado and is currently developing energy storage systems in the Greater Boston, Connecticut, and New York City areas.
The project was originally before the planning board in May to review the plans for the construction of the battery energy storage structure on Eastern Avenue.
The property itself is about 3.7 acres and includes Willoughby Street, which Poor said will be the main access point to the project.
The property is also adjacent to the Eversource Chelsea electrical substation. Poor said this means Flatiron will be able to use an underground connection to tie into the electrical grid.
The proposed building itself would be two stories and will have a number of compartment areas where the batteries will be stored. Outside the building will be energy inverters, transformers, and other infrastructure.
At last week’s planning board meeting, Poor reviewed the activity Flatiron has taken since the initial meeting with the planning board in the spring.
Poor said they have worked with their landscape architect and community partners such as GreenRoots to rework the landscaping plan for the project.
“We want to create as much green space as possible on the property,” Poor side.
In addition, he said Flatiron is working to help mitigate urban heat islands in the area by installing a white roof to reflect sunlight on the building, and creating as much impervious area on the property as possible.
Flatiron and its consultants have also reviewed the findings of a consultant hired by the city for a peer review, as well as by the fire department, on the project’s fire safety and hazard mitigation plans, Poor said.
“The feedback was relatively minimal, we are going to take that feedback and address it,” he said, adding much of the feedback will be addressed by the time of the ZBA meeting.
Flatiron and the city have agreed to a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement, and Poor said he expects a host community agreement for the project to come before the city council in the next few weeks.
Planning board members did question Poor about some of the fire and safety measures that will be in place at the facility.
“We are designing our building’s fire protection and detection systems to not only the most recent standards that are available, we are actually work with FRA (fire risk assessment) and those other groups to design our project to the upcoming standards that will be released either at the end of this year of the beginning of next year,” said Poor.
He added that Flatiron is also working with its consultants and the fire chief on an emergency response plan.
Planning board member Mimi Rancatore said she would like to see some kind of additional design elements to make the building more attractive.
“I understand the landscaping is going to be helpful, but it would also be nice to have something else on the building,” she said.
Poor said Flatiron is open to working with community partners on a mural or other ideas to help make the building more attractive.