44.4

Risk Grade

Good

Sierra foothill county with limited but real utility-scale potential on lower-elevation rangeland near Sonora; Yosemite National Park adjacency adds visual resource sensitivity in eastern portions; limited developer interest reflecting terrain constraints; conservative rural community with economic development interest; PG&E territory; viable niche market for appropriately sited smaller utility-scale projects

Assessment Snapshot

Population

54000

State Rank

#17

Compliance

45%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

50 ft from property lines; additional setbacks from residences; visual impact analysis may be required near Yosemite

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Tuolumne County Planning Commission; Board of Supervisors final; CEQA standard review; visual resource analysis in Yosemite viewshed areas

Acreage Caps

None formal

Spacing Rules

Not specified; case-by-case

Size Restrictions

No formal size restrictions; Yosemite viewshed areas require visual impact analysis; limited viable flat land

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed; rural community divided between conservation/tourism values and economic development interest; Sonora area more urban-neutral; eastern county more conservation-oriented

Basis for Assessment

Tuolumne County Planning Commission records; CA Energy Commission; National Park Service consultation records; local media

Political Risk Factors

Mixed; rural community with some tourism/conservation orientation near Yosemite; conservative property-rights sentiment balanced by economic development interest

Board Members

Ryan Campbell | R | 2026; Anaiah Kirk | R | 2028; Jaron Brandon | R | 2026; Kathleen Haff | R | 2028; David Goldemberg | 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

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

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Tuolumne County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment