57.8

Risk Grade

Fair

Moderate saturation in South Georgia solar corridor; conservative CUP process adds compliance risk; uncertainty from lack of formal ordinance

Assessment Snapshot

Population

18350

State Rank

#64

Compliance

45%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

50 ft from property lines; 300 ft from occupied dwellings (estimated per general code)

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from Appling County Board of Commissioners; site plan review

Acreage Caps

No formal cap

Density Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal; CUP discretion applies

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed; rural landowners receptive to lease income; some concern over agricultural land conversion

Basis for Assessment

Local news coverage; county planning board minutes 2022-2023

Political Risk Factors

Stable-to-increasing; conservative rural county; limited organized opposition but skepticism from agricultural landowners

Board Members

Board of Commissioners | Leslie Burch | R | Term Expires: 2026 (Chair); Randy Sellers | R | Term Expires: 2026; Jakharis Jones | D | Term Expires: 2026; Daryl L. Edwards | R | Term Expires: 2026; Chad Kent | R | Term Expires: 2028; Ricky Barnes | R | Term Expires: 2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC / Georgia Power (Southern Company)

Utilities

Georgia Power, Satilla REMC (rural portions)

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW)

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; no Georgia state solar tax credit; Georgia Power IRP solar procurement program

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Approx. 2 utility-scale projects (~50 MW combined) permitted 2020-2023; Appling Solar (est. 25 MW, 2021)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Appling County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment