SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / GA / Monroe

Monroe County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.6
Risk Grade
Good
Central Georgia rural county with established solar approval record; moderate saturation building; above-average incomes suggest some landowner selectivity; no ordinance barriers.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
29,100
State Rank
#22
Compliance
40%
Trajectory
40

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, ~150 ft from occupied dwellings. No state floor.
Zoning Mechanism
Monroe County: Conditional use permit in Agricultural zoning for utility-scale solar (>1 MW); Board of Commissioners approval.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral to Favorable
Basis for Assessment
Central Georgia rural county near Forsyth; higher-than-average rural income; some solar farms established; board has approved projects without major friction; steady approval pathway
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Board of Commissioners | Alan Gibbs | R | Term Expires: Unknown (Chair); Lamarcus Davis | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; Eddie Rowland | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown; John Ambrose | R | Term Expires: Unknown; Al Turner | Party unconfirmed | Term Expires: Unknown — 5-member body; party affiliations and term dates 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), Flint EMC
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
Two or more utility-scale solar projects approved or operational in Monroe County; Forsyth-area central Georgia market drawing developer interest.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed county board denials on record for Monroe County.

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