SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Cheatham County

Cheatham County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

53.1
Risk Grade
Fair
Cheatham County scores C as a rapidly suburbanizing Nashville exurb where agricultural land for utility-scale solar is shrinking, new residents bring NIMBY expectations, and the political trajectory is clearly worsening even without a formal ordinance. The high median income relative to rural TN reflects the Nashville metro influence that drives opposition.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
40,667
State Rank
#34
Compliance
48%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
State minimums apply. County planning has informally discussed 500 ft residential setbacks in the context of suburban growth pressure. Not formally adopted.
Zoning Mechanism
Cheatham County Planning Commission: CUP in Agricultural zoning; County Commission review per SB 2373 (2022). Suburban growth is reducing Agricultural-zoned land available for utility-scale solar.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed trending resistant — Nashville exurban community with growing population, higher incomes, and suburban expectations for rural character preservation; new residents from Nashville metro less tolerant of industrial land uses near their rural-residential properties
Basis for Assessment
Cheatham County has experienced significant population growth as a Nashville bedroom community; rising incomes ($68K median) reflect influx of professional-class residents who typically oppose utility-scale solar near residential areas; MTE territory; limited agricultural land relative to county size due to Nashville metro sprawl; trajectory clearly worsening
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
County Mayor Kerry McCarver | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (14 members); verify at cheathamcountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTE), 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
Limited commercial solar; one small utility-scale pre-application inquiry in western Cheatham area.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No formal denials but suburban growth is effectively constraining viable sites.

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: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes