SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / CA / San Benito

San Benito County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

42.2
Risk Grade
Good
Small rural county with limited but real utility-scale potential on non-prime agricultural and rangeland on valley floor; CUP process manageable with small planning staff; Williamson Act constraints on prime ag land; PG&E interconnection standard; growing Hollister population adds distributed solar demand; relatively straightforward regulatory pathway makes this a viable secondary market
Assessment Snapshot
Population
64700
State Rank
#6
Compliance
40%
Trajectory
33

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Typically 50 ft from property lines; additional setbacks from residences; case-by-case
Zoning Mechanism
CUP via San Benito County Planning Commission; Board of Supervisors final approval; CEQA standard review
Acreage Caps
None formal
Spacing Rules
Not specified; case-by-case
Size Restrictions
No formal size restrictions; Williamson Act land naturally excluded from viable solar sites

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed but generally receptive; rural agricultural community accepts solar on non-prime land; Hollister growth community generally supportive
Basis for Assessment
San Benito County Planning Commission records; public hearing documents; local media review
Political Risk Factors
Moderate; rural agricultural community with growing Hollister population; generally receptive to solar on non-prime land
Board Members
Bea Gonzales | D | 2026; Kollin Kosmicki | D | 2028; Robert Rivas | D | 2026; Mark Medina | R | 2028; Peter Hernandez | 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
3
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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Last verified: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes