SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / NY / Ontario

Ontario County, NY — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

38.3
Risk Grade
Good
Finger Lakes; Canandaigua; Finger Lakes CC; active solar; ORES ≥25 MW; growing
Assessment Snapshot
Population
110,523
State Rank
#15
Compliance
50%
Trajectory
45

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified at county level. ORES sets conditions for ≥20 MW; municipal zoning governs <20 MW.
Zoning Mechanism
Municipal SUP/Special Permit for <20 MW. ≥20 MW: ORES (Article 94-c) bypasses local zoning.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Generally receptive — university; agricultural; growing market
Basis for Assessment
Finger Lakes; Canandaigua; Finger Lakes CC; active solar; ORES ≥25 MW; growing
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Board of Supervisors | Jared Simpson (Chair) | R | Term Expires: 2027; William Wellman (Phelps) | R | Term Expires: 2027; William Namestnik (Hopewell, Vice Chair) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Peter Ingalsbe (Farmington) | R | Term Expires: 2027; John Marren (Victor) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Frederick Wille (East Bloomfield) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Tate Colburn (Manchester) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Michael Baker (Richmond) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Donald Cotter (Canandaigua) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Tim Schiefen (West Bloomfield) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Dale Stell (Gorham) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Mark Venuti (Geneva town) | R | Term Expires: 2027; David Baker (City of Canandaigua) | R | Term Expires: 2027; Nancy Yacci (City of Canandaigua) | R | Term Expires: 2027; James Kennedy (City of Geneva) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Esther Dickinson (City of Geneva) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Jan Regan (City of Geneva) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Roslyn Grammar (Seneca) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Lisa Moore (South Bristol) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Kristine Singer (Canadice) | D | Term Expires: 2027; Laura Abplanalp (Bristol) | D | Term Expires: 2027; John Cowley (Naples) | R | Term Expires: 2027; ~21-member board; Republicans hold majority 12-9

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
NYISO Zone C (Central — National Grid / NYSEG)
Utilities
Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E), RG&E
State Permitting Process
New York Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES), established April 2020 under Executive Law §94-c (Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act): exclusive jurisdiction for projects ≥25 MW. Projects 20–25 MW may opt-in to ORES process. Sub-20 MW: local zoning governs. ORES can preempt local laws if 'unreasonably burdensome' to project — Third Department Appellate Court upheld this preemption authority (2023). ORES must issue siting permit within 12 months of completeness determination (6 months for repurposed/brownfield sites); if not decided, permit is deemed granted. RAPID Act (2024): consolidated major renewable energy + major electric transmission into single ORES process; draft regulations Dec 18, 2024 (public comment closed Mar 2025); implementing new pre-application consultation requirements including mandatory Indigenous Nation consultations. As of Mar 2026, ORES has issued 15 final siting permits totaling 2.3 GW. NYISO interconnection required statewide. All 62 NY counties in NYISO territory.
State Incentives
NY-Sun Initiative (NYSERDA): residential and commercial/industrial solar incentives; MW Block program provides upfront incentives per W-DC (declining block). NY Community Distributed Generation (CDG): community solar, Brooklyn-Queens neighborhood program. NY CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act): 70% RES by 2030; 100% clean by 2040; largest clean energy commitment of any state. NYISO RECs and ZECs: wholesale market credits support development. NY Article 94-c (ORES): state permit for ≥20 MW; preempts local opposition. NY Green Bank: project financing support. Utility varies by county: Con Edison (NYC/Westchester); National Grid (Long Island/Upstate); NYSEG (Southern Tier/North Country); Central Hudson (Hudson Valley); RG&E (Rochester); O&R (Orange/Rockland).

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on public record as of Mar 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials on record as of Mar 2026.

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