55.6

Risk Grade

Fair

Fast-growing Sacramento exurb with Sierra foothills terrain limiting large-scale development; dual regulatory challenge of county CUP plus TRPA for Tahoe Basin projects; elevated CEQA burden in state-designated Fire Hazard Severity Zones; limited flat land for utility-scale; political environment moderate-conservative; rapid population growth (+4.1%) increasing residential land values and competing land uses

Assessment Snapshot

Population

193098

State Rank

#36

Compliance

50%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

300 ft from occupied residences; 100 ft from property lines; TRPA Basin: additional lot coverage and disturbance limits apply

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA review; projects in Lake Tahoe Basin subject to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) jurisdiction

Acreage Caps

None specified

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >500 kW require CUP; Tahoe Basin projects require TRPA permit in addition to county CUP

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — rapidly growing Sacramento exurb with strong rural character preservation sentiment; some solar friction from hillside/viewshed concerns

Basis for Assessment

County planning records; public hearings; supervisor votes on CUP applications; TRPA meeting records

Political Risk Factors

Stable — Worsening

Board Members

Lori Parlin | D | 2026; George Turnboo | R | 2028; Sue Novasel | R | 2026; Pat Hume | R | 2028; Brooke Laine | R | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

CAISO — PG&E Balancing Authority

Utilities

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

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

El Dorado Hills commercial solar (~3 MW, 2022); South Lake Tahoe distributed installations; scattered rural projects in valley floor

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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El Dorado County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment