44.8

Risk Grade

Good

San Joaquin Valley county with flat agricultural land enabling utility-scale solar development; less developed pipeline than Fresno to the north but growing; PG&E transmission accessible; Williamson Act land adds process but removal of marginal parcels is achievable; Sierra Nevada foothills portions not suitable for large-scale; actively growing solar market with moderate compliance friction; B-grade with B-C characteristics

Assessment Snapshot

Population

157239

State Rank

#18

Compliance

42%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

200 ft from occupied residences; 100 ft from property lines

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA review; Williamson Act contract non-renewal required for contracted agricultural land

Acreage Caps

None specified

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >1 MW require CUP; Williamson Act parcels require NOC or cancellation

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Generally supportive — Central Valley agricultural community; board of supervisors supportive of solar on marginal agricultural land; Williamson Act removal on lower-quality soils proceeding

Basis for Assessment

County supervisor votes; planning commission hearings; CEQA filings; Madera County Farm Bureau input

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Robert Poythress | R | 2026; David Rogers | R | 2028; Brett Frazier | R | 2026; Max Rodriguez | R | 2028; Tom Wheeler | 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

Madera Solar (~20 MW, 2021, San Joaquin Valley floor); Raymond area solar (~8 MW, 2020); multiple mid-scale projects in valley agricultural areas

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Madera County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment