SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / GA / Lowndes

Lowndes County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

52.5
Risk Grade
Fair
Major south Georgia metro-adjacent county; significant existing solar saturation; rising community concern; moderate ordinance friction as market matures.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
115,600
State Rank
#52
Compliance
48%
Trajectory
46

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No county-adopted solar setbacks. General zoning setbacks apply; ~50–100 ft from property line, ~200 ft from occupied dwellings. No state floor.
Zoning Mechanism
Lowndes County: Conditional use permit in Agricultural/Rural zoning for utility-scale solar (>1 MW); Board of Commissioners approval. Valdosta city limits handled separately.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed
Basis for Assessment
Valdosta-area south Georgia county; active solar market; growing community concern over farmland conversion and visual impact; board historically receptive but increasing scrutiny as market matures
Political Risk Factors
Stable to Worsening
Board Members
Board of Commissioners | Bill Slaughter | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown (Chair); Joyce E. Evans | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; Scott Orenstein | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; Mark Wisenbaker | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; Demarcus Marshall | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; Michael Smith | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown — 6-member body; party affiliations not publicly listed

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
Southern Company / Georgia Power transmission zone; Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) | SERC reliability region
Utilities
Georgia Power (Southern Company), Satilla REMC
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
Multiple utility-scale solar projects approved and/or operational in Lowndes County; projects include Georgia Power procurement-linked farms in the 20–80 MW range; active pipeline as of 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed county board formal denials on record; some public comment opposition at hearings.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

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