46.2

Risk Grade

Good

Yosemite National Park gateway county with mountainous terrain (elevations 1,500–13,000 ft) severely limiting flat developable land; significant NPS-adjacent sensitivity; Sierra Miwok tribal cultural resources require consultation; very low population density (~12/sq mi); small pipeline; B-grade with B-C characteristics from terrain and environmental sensitivity constraints

Assessment Snapshot

Population

17203

State Rank

#22

Compliance

44%

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; viewshed restrictions near scenic corridors

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA review; NPS consultation required for projects visible from Yosemite corridor; tribal cultural resource review (Sierra Miwok lands)

Acreage Caps

None specified

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >500 kW require CUP; viewshed analysis required for projects along Highway 140/120 scenic corridors

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral-cautious — Yosemite tourism-dependent economy; concern about industrial development impacting scenic quality; limited organized solar advocacy

Basis for Assessment

County planning records; limited public record on solar-specific hearings

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Robin Peters | R | 2026; Kevin Cann | R | 2028; Rosalie Swann | R | 2026; Melissa Foster | R | 2028; Marshall Long | 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

Mariposa area small commercial solar; no utility-scale projects on record

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Mariposa County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment