SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / OR / Tillamook

Tillamook County, OR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

42.5
Risk Grade
Good
Coastal overcast climate with very low solar irradiance is primary constraint — consistently cloudy maritime conditions severely limit commercial viability; OCMP coastal management adds regulatory layer; dairy EFU protection is strong; among lowest commercial solar potential in Oregon along with Curry and Lincoln counties
Assessment Snapshot
Population
27036
State Rank
#11
Compliance
45%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
100 ft from property lines; coastal setbacks per OCMP; 200 ft from dairy operation structures
Zoning Mechanism
EFU (strong dairy farming protection), Forest (F), Coastal Shorelands (CS), Rural Residential (RR), Tillamook/Garibaldi/Manzanita/Pacific City urban zones
Acreage Caps
No county cap
Spacing Rules
None specified
Size Restrictions
ODOE >35 MW; OCMP for coastal shorelands; Oregon DSL for Tillamook Bay estuary; county CUP

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral — coastal dairy community; Tillamook Forest and dairy industry dominate land use discussions; solar is low priority; Headlight Herald coverage shows minimal interest
Basis for Assessment
Tillamook County planning records; Tillamook Headlight Herald newspaper; Oregon Coastal Management Program; Tillamook County Commissioner meeting minutes
Political Risk Factors
Stable — coastal dairy community focused on agriculture and tourism; not driving major solar opposition or development; Headlight Herald coverage shows minimal public engagement with solar issues
Board Members
Mary Starrett (Chair), Erin Skaar, Andy Cripe

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp); Tillamook People's Utility District (TPUD)
Utilities
Tillamook People's Utility District (TPUD), Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) interconnection
State Permitting Process
ORS 215 EFU CUP; OCMP; ODOE >35 MW; Oregon DSL coastal waters
State Incentives
Eligible — Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program; Energy Trust of Oregon

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
None verified
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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