51.2

Risk Grade

Fair

North Coast county with dense redwood/Douglas fir forest and coastal terrain limiting utility-scale solar viability; Coastal Commission jurisdiction covers significant western portion; Timberland Production Zones restrict conversion; wine grape growing areas have agricultural land preservation sentiment; limited flat land outside Ukiah and Willits valleys; low solar irradiance on coast relative to interior California; C-grade reflects multiple regulatory and physical constraints

Assessment Snapshot

Population

88093

State Rank

#30

Compliance

55%

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; additional buffers in Coastal Zone and timberland zones

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA review; Coastal Development Permit required in Coastal Zone; timberland conversion restrictions under Timberland Production Zone

Acreage Caps

None specified

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >500 kW require CUP; Coastal Zone projects require Coastal Development Permit

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed-cautious — environmentally progressive community; wine and timber heritage; concern about agricultural and timberland conversion; Coastal Commission adds regulatory complexity

Basis for Assessment

County planning records; Coastal Commission hearing records; public hearings; timber industry input

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Glenn McGourty | D | 2026; Mo Mulheren | D | 2028; John Haschak | D | 2026; Dan Gjerde | D | 2028; Ted Williams | D | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

CAISO — PG&E Balancing Authority

Utilities

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) — CCA in southern portions

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

Ukiah Valley distributed solar; small commercial installations; no utility-scale ground-mount on record

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Mendocino County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment