Chino adopts Dirac battery storage agreement 5-0 and authorizes a petition against the regional water board

The Chino City Council on Oct. 6 gave final approval to the development agreement for the Dirac battery storage project, adopting Ordinance No. 2026-013 on its consent calendar.

The consent calendar passed 5-0. Council Member Karen C. Comstock made the motion and Council Member Christopher Flores seconded it, according to the meeting minutes.

Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Burton was among the five yes votes. On Sept. 15, he cast the only no vote when the council approved the project and introduced the ordinance, Legistar's vote record for that meeting shows.

What the ordinance covers

The agreement is with Dirac Project LLC for a 400-megawatt battery storage system on a 13.89-acre site in Chino's General Industrial zone. The ordinance lists the addresses as 13925 Benson Avenue and 13822 and 13910 Oaks Avenue.

The developer's obligations listed in the ordinance include $6 million in community benefit payments tied to project milestones and another $600,000 for fire prevention, preparedness and suppression. They also include $4 million in guaranteed project sales and use tax revenue, local hiring outreach and fire safety training by outside experts.

The ordinance sets up categories for spending the benefit money, among them fire training, public safety, parks and recreation, and arts and culture.

Public comment

Before the vote, speakers from IBEW Local 477, the Riverside/San Bernardino Building Trades, Iron Workers 416, Breathe Southern California and the Coalition for Clean Air spoke in favor, the minutes say. Two speakers opposed the project.

The city clerk reported six emails in support and two in opposition. A representative of AYPA, listed in the minutes as the applicant, and a retired battalion chief from New York City responded to questions raised in public comment and spoke about the project's safety design, including training for first responders.

Water board petition

Reporting on the closed session, City Attorney Fred Galante said the council voted 5-0 to authorize filing a petition challenging the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board related to MS4 storm permit requirements. Council Member Marc Lucio moved the item and Burton seconded it, according to the minutes.

The minutes do not say which requirements the city intends to contest.

Other business

• The council voted 5-0 for a $767,870.76 contract amendment with Q3 Consulting for more design and environmental work on a storm drain planned along Euclid Avenue. A staff report says the line would run about 3.6 miles within Chino, between Merrill Avenue and an outlet at the lakes in Prado Regional Park, and now also covers a planned drain line on Pine Avenue.
• In another 5-0 vote, the council approved a settlement in which Kaiser Foundation Health Plan agreed to give Chino $188,925.40 so the city can fix sidewalk and curb ramp problems near Kaiser's medical office buildings at 3750 Grand Avenue. A staff report says city inspections found sidewalk sections too narrow and too steeply sloped to meet accessibility rules, while Kaiser maintained its consultant's findings had been addressed.
• The consent calendar also asked the San Bernardino County Local Agency Formation Commission to let Chino extend sewer service to a proposed 90-home development on Phillips Boulevard at Pipeline Avenue, in unincorporated county territory.
• Mayor Eunice M. Ulloa announced that a hearing on the 2026 Development Impact Fee Nexus Study Update would be postponed and noticed again.