Risk Grade

Fail

Blount County receives a D grade because the combination of very high compliance stringency (1,000 ft setbacks, CUP + commission approval), rapidly worsening political trajectory driven by Great Smoky Mountains tourism-identity politics, and significant terrain constraints makes utility-scale solar development extremely difficult. The ordinance framework adopted in 2023 reflects a county politically aligned against large solar.

Assessment Snapshot

Population

133,088

State Rank

#57

Compliance

65%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

1,000 ft from any residential structure (participating or not); 750 ft from public roads and rights-of-way; 500 ft from non-participating property lines; full perimeter visual screening required (8 ft vegetative buffer). Among the most restrictive setbacks in Tennessee.

Zoning Mechanism

Blount County Planning Commission: Conditional Use Permit in A-1 Agricultural zoning only; County Commission must approve CUP for any project >5 acres; public hearing required; SB 2373 (2022) decommissioning bond mandated.

Acreage Caps

None codified but de facto limited by setback stacking.

Density Caps

None codified.

Spacing Rules

None codified.

Size Restrictions

50 MW informal cap discussed but not codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Strong opposition — Great Smoky Mountains National Park gateway community with powerful tourism, hospitality, and land conservation constituency; Appalachian Trail Conservancy, local heritage groups, and rural landowners all active in anti-industrial-solar organizing; county commission broadly receptive to restrictive regulation

Basis for Assessment

Blount County borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is one of Tennessee's top tourist destinations (Maryville, Townsend, Gatlinburg gateway); organized opposition from Foothills Land Conservancy, Keep Blount Beautiful, and multiple community Facebook groups has been vocal and politically effective; county commission has adopted a posture of protection over development

Political Risk Factors

Rapidly Worsening

Board Members

Mayor Ed Mitchell | R | Aug 2026 Tom Hensley | R | Nov 2026 (Commission Chair) Mike Akard | R | Nov 2026 Gary Farmer | R | Nov 2026 Cathy Weaver | R | Nov 2026 Verify full 21-member commission at blounttn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)

Utilities

Appalachian Electric Cooperative (TVA distributor), Tennessee Valley Authority (wholesale)

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority under SB 2373 (2022); no state solar preemption; conditional use permit or special exception typically required; decommissioning bond often required; setback standards increasingly codified

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; no Tennessee state solar tax credit; TVA Green Power Switch program available

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

One small (sub-5 MW) commercial project approved near Maryville industrial park area; no large utility-scale approvals.

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

Multiple proposals (50–150 MW scale) in Blount foothills withdrawn or not submitted after community opposition signaled near-certain denial; Smoky Mountain area land trust opposition effectively blocked early pipeline.

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Blount County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment