Risk Grade

Fair

Most rural and mountainous MD county; ski/lake resort identity; limited flat agricultural land; no ordinance; minimal developer interest

Assessment Snapshot

Population

28,603

State Rank

#17

Compliance

68%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Garrett County: no solar-specific setback ordinance. STATE STANDARD (HB1036/SB931, eff. July 1 2025) for ≥1 MW: ≤100 ft from property lines; ≤150 ft from residential dwelling; ≥50 ft from road ROW for fencing. General AG district setbacks apply for smaller projects. MD PSC CPCN (≥2 MW): PSC sets conditions including setbacks in CPCN order.

Zoning Mechanism

No Garrett County solar ordinance. ≥2 MW: MD PSC CPCN required. ≥1 MW: HB1036 preempts county prohibition. <1 MW: County general zoning/building permit applies. Appalachian Power (APCo) serves Garrett County.

Acreage Caps

No Garrett County acreage cap. State: ≥5 MW not in Planned Growth Areas (HB1036). Terrain: mountainous; limits utility-scale ground-mount to small areas of valley floor. No prime farmland cap applicable.

Density Caps

Garrett County: no countywide density cap for solar. Deep Creek Lake Planned Growth Area: ≥5 MW solar prohibited per HB1036/SB931.

Spacing Rules

No Garrett County spacing requirements.

Size Restrictions

No Garrett County size restrictions beyond state law: ≥1 MW preempts county prohibition; ≥2 MW needs PSC CPCN; ≥5 MW not in growth areas. No MD state BESS mandate.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Conservative/cautious — Deep Creek Lake tourism identity; limited solar market

Basis for Assessment

Most rural and mountainous MD county; ski/lake resort identity; limited flat agricultural land; no ordinance; minimal developer interest

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

S. Larry Tichnell | R | Nov 2026 Paul Edwards | R | Nov 2026 Ryan Savage | R | Nov 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

PJM / Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy) transmission zone

Utilities

Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy), Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy)

State Permitting Process

Local county zoning permit: conditional use or special exception at county level; no uniform statewide solar permitting standard. PPRP (Power Plant Research Program, MD DNR): environmental review for generating facilities ≥70 MW; PSC CPCN required for projects ≥70 MW. Projects <70 MW: county-level permitting only. No statewide preemption of local solar ordinances. Net metering: systems up to 2 MW (residential up to 2× annual load). All MD in PJM territory. Maryland has the largest solar carve-out in the U.S. at 14.5% by 2028 (MD Code, PUC §7-703).

State Incentives

Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): 50% by 2030; solar carve-out 14.5% by 2028 — drives strong SREC demand. Maryland SREC market: PSC-administered; ~$50-80/SREC 2023-2024 for Tier 1 Maryland SRECs. Maryland Solar Access Program (Brighter Tomorrow Act 2024): $750/kW up to $7,500 for income-qualifying residential customers. Maryland Community Solar: community solar program active statewide. Maryland PSC: approval required for utility-owned solar; IPP projects via county/local process. Utility: BGE (Eversource) serves Baltimore metro; Pepco serves Montgomery/PG County; Delmarva Power serves Eastern Shore; SMECO serves Southern MD; Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy) serves western MD.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

No confirmed MD PSC CPCN denial or county-level rejection on record for Garrett County as of Mar 2026. MD Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB1036/SB931, eff. Jul 1 2025) limits county authority to deny ≥1 MW solar.

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Garrett County, MD — Solar Development Risk Assessment