SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Manatee

Manatee County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

32
Risk Grade
Excellent
Southwest FL county in FPL territory adjacent to DeSoto-Hardee-Charlotte solar corridor; permissive CUP process; active FPL pipeline; improving trajectory; no moratorium; large agricultural land base in eastern Manatee; USDA REAP eligible for rural eastern areas
Assessment Snapshot
Population
403253
State Rank
#5
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
20

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Agricultural zone setbacks apply; no solar-specific setback standards beyond standard property line requirements; CUP conditions may include landscape buffering near residential zones
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in A-1 (Agricultural) and rural zones; county commission review; no mandatory solar pre-application conference; standard permitting timeline
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
No county cap; FPSA applies for facilities >75 MW (FL DEP siting jurisdiction)

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive
Basis for Assessment
Manatee County commissioners have been receptive to FPL solar CUP applications; county views solar as compatible agricultural land use; no organized opposition; fast-growing county with strong economic development orientation; agricultural landowners in eastern Manatee have engaged with solar lease programs
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Commissioner Carol Ann Felts (D1), Commissioner Amanda Ballard (D2), Commissioner Tal Siddique (D3), Commissioner Mike Rahn (D4), Commissioner Dr. Bob McCann, Commissioner Jason Bearden, Commissioner George Kruse

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | FPL (NextEra Energy) transmission zone
Utilities
Florida Power & Light (FPL / NextEra Energy), Peace River Electric Cooperative (rural distribution — eastern Manatee County portions)
State Permitting Process
Florida Power Siting Act (FPSA) — Florida DEP has siting jurisdiction for facilities >75 MW. Below 75 MW, county land use authority governs via CUP/SUP process. Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits county restrictions on solar in agricultural zones — cannot prohibit as a matter of law. No state-level preemption below 75 MW threshold. FPL (NextEra Energy) dominates utility-scale procurement in southern and eastern FL; Duke Energy Florida serves central west coast; Tampa Electric (TECO) serves Hillsborough/Polk corridor; Florida Power & Light interconnects through FPL transmission. County commission approves CUPs for projects <75 MW in unincorporated areas.
State Incentives
Florida has no state RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) — only a voluntary goal (100% clean energy by 2050). Key incentives: Federal ITC (30% base + energy community/domestic content adders). Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits local government ability to restrict solar on agricultural land — counties cannot ban solar outright on ag-zoned land. Net metering available. Property tax exemption for residential solar (FL Const. Art. VII §3). No state income tax. USDA REAP for rural projects. FPL, Duke Energy Florida, and Tampa Electric IRP programs include significant utility-scale solar procurement.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
FPL has active solar procurement in Manatee County corridor; multiple utility-scale CUP approvals in agricultural zones; [TBV specific project names and MW from FL DEP FPSA registry and FPL IRP filings]
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None on record

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes