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Klamath County, OR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.2
Risk Grade
Good
Good southern Oregon solar irradiance; Klamath Falls energy development tradition (geothermal, hydro); FAA coordination requirement near Kingsley Field adds complexity; moderate-conservative county with manageable CUP process; some water rights and Upper Klamath Lake management considerations
Assessment Snapshot
Population
68238
State Rank
#13
Compliance
50%
Trajectory
40

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
100 ft from property lines in EFU; 50 ft urban zones; FAA airspace coordination for structures >200 ft near Kingsley Field
Zoning Mechanism
EFU, Grazing (G), Forest (F), Rural Residential (RR), Klamath Falls UGB; Upper Klamath Lake management zone; Klamath Reclamation Project agricultural zones
Acreage Caps
No county cap
Spacing Rules
FAA coordination required within Kingsley Field approach/departure zones
Size Restrictions
ODOE >35 MW; FAA for airspace; BLM Klamath Falls Resource Area for federal lands; county CUP

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral-Moderate — military and agricultural community; Klamath Falls city pragmatic about energy development; geothermal energy tradition creates some energy development acceptance; Klamath Falls Herald and News coverage neutral
Basis for Assessment
Klamath County planning records 2019-2024; Klamath Falls Herald and News; Kingsley Field base community records; BLM Klamath Falls Resource Area; ODOE
Political Risk Factors
Stable — moderate-conservative community; military base presence normalizes energy infrastructure; timber and ranching economy; no organized anti-solar movement
Board Members
Kelley Minty Morris (Chair), Donnie Boyd, Tom Mallams

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp); BPA (Malin substation — major BPA hub; excellent transmission access)
Utilities
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp), Klamath Electric Cooperative
State Permitting Process
ORS 215 EFU CUP; FAA airspace coordination; ODOE >35 MW; BLM ROW for federal lands; Klamath County Zoning Ordinance
State Incentives
Eligible — Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program; Energy Trust of Oregon

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Hayden Solar and Battery Storage (240 MW, 2023); Diamond Solar Project (200 MW, 2025)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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