Risk Grade

Fair

C-grade reflects moderate compliance pathway (CUP with evolving conditions) and stable but potentially increasing trajectory risk; Central Georgia location with growing developer interest but not yet strong community opposition; similar profile to other mid-Georgia rural counties

Assessment Snapshot

Population

20605

State Rank

#44

Compliance

45%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

100–150 ft from property lines; 200 ft from residences; road setbacks per GDOT; vegetative screening in CUP conditions

Zoning Mechanism

CUP from Dodge County Board of Commissioners; planning commission advisory; public hearing required; limited planning staff

Acreage Caps

No formal cap

Density Caps

None adopted

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral; agricultural landowners receptive to lease income; some community concern about visual impacts on rural landscape; no organized opposition groups

Basis for Assessment

Dodge County Commission minutes; Eastman Times-Journal; Georgia Power service territory; GEFA

Political Risk Factors

Stable-to-increasing; conservative rural county with limited organized opposition; some community discussion of solar farm impacts on agricultural character; commission evaluating CUP standards as applications increase

Board Members

Board of Commissioners | Dan McCranie | R | Term Expires: Unknown (Chair); Sharon Cobb Flanagan | R | Term Expires: Unknown (District 1); Leigh Ann Greene | R | Term Expires: Unknown (District 2); Brian Watkins | R | Term Expires: Unknown (District 3); Jeffrey Jones | R | Term Expires: Unknown (District 4)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC / Georgia Power (Southern Company)

Utilities

Georgia Power, Flint EMC (limited rural areas)

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

Approximately 1 utility-scale project (~20 MW) in county, 2021–2023; Eastman grid area

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Dodge County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment