SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Cumberland County

Cumberland County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

59.2
Risk Grade
Poor
Cumberland County scores C-high (Risk 48.95) due to the organized retirement community opposition at Fairfield Glade, plateau terrain limiting viable sites, worsening political trajectory as county commission moves toward tighter regulations, and a withdrawn 200 MW project confirming the real-world development barriers.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
60,520
State Rank
#45
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
55

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No formally codified solar setbacks. State minimums apply. County planning commission is reviewing setback requirements; 750 ft from residential structures proposed in 2025 county commission discussions.
Zoning Mechanism
Cumberland County Planning Commission: CUP in Agricultural/Rural zoning; County Commission approval per SB 2373 (2022). Commission has signaled interest in adopting more stringent standards.
Acreage Caps
None codified but county commission proposed 300-acre cap per project in 2025 discussions — not adopted.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Resistant trending — Fairfield Glade retirement community (~10,000 residents) is among the most organized and politically active anti-solar constituencies in Middle Tennessee; plateau preservation identity reinforces opposition; county commission has been responsive to this pressure
Basis for Assessment
Cumberland County's risk profile is driven by Fairfield Glade, one of Tennessee's largest planned retirement communities, whose residents are politically active and strongly opposed to utility-scale solar near their community; county commission has held multiple public hearings with strong anti-solar testimony; Cumberland Plateau terrain further limits viable sites; trajectory is clearly worsening
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
County Mayor Allen Foster | R | Aug 2026 Tim Burchett (Commission Chair area); verify full commission at cumberlandcountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (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 commercial-scale project (~5 MW) near industrial park; no large utility-scale approvals.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
A proposed 200 MW project in southeastern Cumberland County was withdrawn after organized community opposition from Fairfield Glade residents and Cumberland Plateau anti-solar groups in 2024.

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