38.6

Risk Grade

Good

Denver western suburbs; Lakewood, Golden, Arvada are dense urban areas; foothills terrain limits sites; some flat areas in Arvada/Westminster fringe; Jeffco historically progressive on environment; utility-scale land very limited

Assessment Snapshot

Population

582881

State Rank

#24

Compliance

56%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from residences (informal guidance)

Zoning Mechanism

County Special Use Permit; Jefferson County land use

Acreage Caps

No cap

Density Caps

Spacing Rules

None codified

Size Restrictions

No formal restrictions

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — progressive Denver suburb (Lakewood, Golden, Arvada) but mountainous terrain; limited flat land

Basis for Assessment

Jefferson County Planning; Westword; CO Secretary of State

Political Risk Factors

Neutral

Board Members

Lesley Dahlkemper (D, 2026) | Andy Kerr (D, 2027) | Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D, 2026)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Xcel Energy (PSCO) / WECC

Utilities

Xcel Energy (PSCO)

State Permitting Process

County SUP; HB 23-1232 CEO review >50 MW; decommissioning bond

State Incentives

Federal ITC; Colorado Clean Energy Fund; Xcel RE procurement

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Two small ground-mount projects in rural foothills areas (<5 MW combined)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Jefferson County, CO — Solar Development Risk Assessment