Davidson County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

Metro Nashville zoning code governs all land use; no utility-scale solar-specific setbacks relevant given urban context.

Metro Nashville Planning Department: Land use plan governs; no Agricultural zoning for utility-scale solar exists in meaningful quantity. Projects would require rezoning through Metro Council.

Neutral on utility-scale (irrelevant); Metro Nashville has formally committed to clean energy goals and supports distributed solar and community solar; NES has progressive clean energy programs

Davidson County is Tennessee's capital and largest urban center; NES is a nationally recognized utility with strong clean energy programs; the county has no meaningful agricultural land for utility-scale ground-mount solar; all utility-scale solar serving Nashville's load is sited in surrounding counties; the risk score reflects the impracticality of utility-scale development rather than political opposition

Stable

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

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

Numerous commercial rooftop and community solar installations; NES Solar Share program; no utility-scale ground-mount within Davidson County.

N/A — utility-scale solar not applicable in urban context.