58.4

Risk Grade

Poor

Coastal agricultural county with significant regulatory complexity from dual track (county CUP + Coastal Commission) and prime agricultural land conflicts; Salinas Valley strawberry and lettuce production (~$1B+ annually) creates strong political opposition to farmland solar conversion; C-grade reflects high compliance burden from agricultural land tensions and Coastal Commission jurisdiction despite moderate political support for renewable energy

Assessment Snapshot

Population

434061

State Rank

#39

Compliance

55%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

300 ft from occupied residences; 150 ft from property lines; 500 ft in Coastal Zone from residential uses; additional buffer from prime farmland

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP) per Solar Energy Facility Ordinance; CEQA required; Coastal Development Permit required in Coastal Zone; agricultural land conversion findings required for Class I-II soils

Acreage Caps

None specified — no formal acreage cap but prime farmland conversion review triggers extended process

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Projects >1 MW require CUP; Coastal Zone projects require CDP; prime agricultural land (strawberry/lettuce) conversion requires extended findings

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — coastal agricultural community with strong farmland preservation ethic; Salinas Valley farmworker organizations oppose prime ag land conversion; Coastal Commission adds major complexity for coastal-adjacent projects

Basis for Assessment

County supervisor votes; planning commission records; Coastal Commission hearing records; CEQA filings; Salinas Valley agricultural community statements

Political Risk Factors

Stable — Worsening

Board Members

Luis Alejo | D | 2026; Mary Adams | D | 2028; Chris Lopez | D | 2026; Wendy Root Askew | D | 2028; Glenn Church | D | 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

King City Solar (~25 MW, 2020, Salinas Valley floor); Jolon Road Solar (~15 MW, 2021); Santa Rita Hills solar (~10 MW, 2022); multiple distributed installations in Salinas and Monterey areas

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

Chualar Solar project delayed significantly by Coastal Commission and CEQA challenges (2019–2022)

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