60.5

Risk Grade

Poor

Coastal SC county with affluent population, coastal overlay regulations, limited agricultural land, and growing aesthetic opposition; utility-scale solar faces genuine siting constraints; C grade reflects real regulatory friction not just uncertainty; denial precedent in 2023

Assessment Snapshot

Population

192122

State Rank

#29

Compliance

58%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

200 ft from residential; 100 ft from road ROW; coastal overlay setbacks per SCDHEC OCRM

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Beaufort County Planning Commission; Beaufort County Council final approval; coastal zone management review by SCDHEC OCRM for projects near water

Acreage Caps

None established; limited available parcels serve as de facto cap

Density Caps

None formal but overlay zones effectively limit acreage

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

Ground-mounted restricted in Hilton Head jurisdictions; visual screening required

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed

Basis for Assessment

Affluent coastal tourism and retirement county; Hilton Head brand preservation creates strong NIMBY pressure; limited flat agricultural land; military bases restrict some prime parcels; environmental groups active on coastal land use; county council increasingly cautious

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

County Council Chair Joe Passiment | R | Term 2024–2028; Council Member Stu Rodman | R | Term 2022–2026; Council Member Alice Howard | D | Term 2024–2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Dominion Energy South Carolina

Utilities

Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; special exception or conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW); decommissioning bond increasingly required

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; SC state income tax credit for solar (25% up to $35,000 for commercial); SC Energy Freedom Act net metering provisions

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Okatie Solar (~15 MW, 2021); Lady's Island Solar (~8 MW, 2022)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

Broad Creek Solar (denied 2023, ~20 MW — OCRM coastal overlay concerns and community opposition)

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Beaufort County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment