45.2

Risk Grade

Good

High elevation reduces solar irradiance relative to southern AZ; large federal land holdings complicate siting; otherwise moderate regulatory environment.

Assessment Snapshot

Population

145,101

State Rank

Compliance

40%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Coconino County ZO: 150 ft from property line for utility-scale. Federal land adjacency triggers NEPA review for many projects. Viewshed protections near Grand Canyon and other scenic areas.

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Coconino County Planning & Zoning Commission. Federal land leasing (BLM, FS) requires separate federal permit process. Navajo/Hopi lands within county boundary have sovereign jurisdiction.

Acreage Caps

None codified on county land.

Density Caps

None codified.

Spacing Rules

None codified.

Size Restrictions

No size restriction; federal land adjacency and viewshed protections are practical constraints for large projects.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Moderately supportive; Flagstaff is a progressive university town (NAU); board has mix of views; rural areas more conservative; high-elevation irradiance limitations reduce economic pressure for large utility-scale.

Basis for Assessment

Coconino County supervisors are a mix of progressive (Flagstaff districts) and conservative (rural/Williams districts); Flagstaff city strongly pro-solar; reduced irradiance (vs. Maricopa/Yuma) limits utility-scale economics but distributed solar is active.

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Coconino County Board of Supervisors: Lena Fowler (District 1) | D | 2026; Jeronimo Vasquez (District 2) | D | 2026; Matt Ryan (District 3) | R | 2026; Jim Parks (District 4) | R | 2026; Patrice Horstman (District 5) | D | 2026.

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Arizona Public Service (APS) / Western Interconnection (WECC)

Utilities

Arizona Public Service (APS) — Pinnacle West Capital, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) — reservation portions

State Permitting Process

Coconino County CUP via Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Supervisors. BLM ROW grant (FLPMA) for federal land projects + NEPA EIS/EA. US Forest Service special use permit for NF lands. FAA coordination. State ACC review if applicable. Tribal sovereign approval for Navajo/Hopi land.

State Incentives

No binding Arizona RPS. APS renewable commitment. Federal ITC/PVTC. Arizona property and sales tax exemptions for solar. BLM right-of-way grants for federal land solar projects (43 CFR Part 2800).

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Flagstaff area commercial/community solar | Various ~1–5 MW | Operational Williams Solar | ~2 MW | County CUP approved

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

No major county denials. Some BLM applications deferred or withdrawn.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

Coconino County, AZ — Solar Development Risk Assessment