55.6

Risk Grade

Fair

Dense East Bay suburban county with significant refinery and industrial land in western county that limits utility-scale solar siting; high CEQA compliance burden for any open-space conversion; very limited agricultural land suitable for large solar farms without major political friction; MCE CCA operating in some unincorporated areas; moderate political opposition to ground-mount in residential-adjacent zones

Assessment Snapshot

Population

1165927

State Rank

#36

Compliance

53%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

500 ft from residential structures; 150 ft from property lines

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA required; agricultural land conversion triggers additional findings; West County industrial zone may offer alternative siting

Acreage Caps

None specified

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >1 MW require CUP

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — East Bay suburban county with progressive climate politics but limited utility-scale land; industrial zones less contested than agricultural

Basis for Assessment

Board votes; planning commission records; CEQA filings; Contra Costa County Agricultural Trust input

Political Risk Factors

Stable — Worsening

Board Members

John Gioia | D | 2026; Candace Andersen | R | 2028; Diane Burgis | D | 2026; Ken Carlson | D | 2028; Federal Glover | D | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

CAISO — PG&E Balancing Authority

Utilities

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), MCE (Marin Clean Energy) — CCA in select unincorporated areas

State Permitting Process

County zoning + CEQA review required; CEC siting jurisdiction for projects >50 MW on state/federal land; Coastal Commission review for coastal zone; DRECP DFAs streamline desert county permitting

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for storage; CA Renewables Portfolio Standard procurement; CPUC approved procurement programs

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Vasco Winds co-located solar (~18 MW, 2022); multiple commercial/industrial rooftop installations throughout Concord, Richmond, Pittsburg corridors

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Contra Costa County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment