68.4

Risk Grade

Poor

Extreme SE TN corner; Cherokee National Forest covers much of county; highly mountainous; Ocoee River whitewater recreation economy; strong outdoor identity hostile to utility-scale solar; very limited flat buildable terrain

Assessment Snapshot

Population

16869

State Rank

#52

Compliance

65%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Not codified; commission expected to deny on terrain/identity grounds

Zoning Mechanism

CUP per SB 2373; terrain review; proximity to Cherokee National Forest triggers additional scrutiny

Acreage Caps

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Strongly opposed

Basis for Assessment

Ocoee River recreation area; outdoor tourism identity strongly hostile to utility-scale industrial development; community sees solar as incompatible with county brand

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

County Executive: Anthony Coker | R | 2026; Commission: Republican, rural-conservative

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

TVA

Utilities

Appalachian Electric Cooperative, Tennessee Valley Authority (wholesale)

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority under SB 2373 (2022); conditional use permit or special exception required; decommissioning bond often required; setback standards increasingly codified at county level

State Incentives

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

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

None approved; one pre-application inquiry rejected informally 2023

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None formally denied (no applications reached hearing stage)

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Polk County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment