46.2

Risk Grade

Good

B-grade reflects Savannah metro's pro-development attitude, lower compliance barriers in industrial zones, stable political trajectory, and lower uncertainty; primary risk is limited utility-scale land availability, not policy opposition

Assessment Snapshot

Population

291544

State Rank

#34

Compliance

38%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Standard commercial/industrial setbacks; 50-100 ft from property lines in industrial zones; historic district review applies in Savannah

Zoning Mechanism

CUP from Chatham County Commission for ground-mount in agricultural zones; by-right in industrial zones; City of Savannah planning board for incorporated areas

Acreage Caps

No formal cap

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal; land availability constrains scale

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Favorable; Savannah progressive pro-renewable leadership; port/industrial community supports energy diversification; tourism community neutral

Basis for Assessment

Savannah Morning News; Chatham County Commission minutes 2021-2023; City of Savannah sustainability plan 2021

Political Risk Factors

Stable; Savannah is one of Georgia's more pro-development coastal cities; mixed urban politics but broadly supportive of renewable energy

Board Members

Board of Commissioners | Chester Ellis | R | Term Expires: 2026 (Chair); Bobby Lockett | R | Term Expires: 2026; Anthony 'Wayne' Noha | R | Term Expires: 2026; Marsha Buford | R | Term Expires: 2026; Shirley Sessions | R | Term Expires: 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC / Georgia Power (Southern Company)

Utilities

Georgia Power, N/A (urban consolidated service territory)

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

3 projects: Savannah Airport solar (~5 MW rooftop, 2021); 2 industrial ground-mount projects (~30 MW combined) on port-adjacent brownfield sites 2020-2022

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Chatham County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment