72.9

Risk Grade

Fail

County Executive: Rogers Anderson | R | 2026; Commission: Republican supermajority; anti-solar majority documented in 2022-2024 vote record; chair: Gregg Lawrence | R

Assessment Snapshot

Population

247726

State Rank

#55

Compliance

70%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Setback standards being formally codified 2025; 1,000 ft from residential structures proposed; screening requirements stringent

Zoning Mechanism

CUP per SB 2373; decommissioning bond required; stringent setback and screening requirements being adopted; MTE coordination; visual impact studies required

Acreage Caps

Acreage caps under active discussion; commissioner proposals to limit project size

Spacing Rules

Under discussion — county may adopt explicit size limit

Size Restrictions

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Brentwood/Franklin HOA coalitions; county commission very responsive to wealthy anti-solar constituents; multiple organized opposition campaigns documented 2022–2024

Basis for Assessment

Brentwood/Franklin; wealthiest TN county; TN's fastest-growing affluent suburb; extremely strong HOA and community opposition to utility-scale solar; shrinking agricultural land rapidly; commission highly responsive to anti-solar constituents; essentially hostile environment for new utility-scale projects

Political Risk Factors

Rapidly Worsening

Board Members

2026-04-02

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

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

Utilities

Tennessee Valley Authority (wholesale), williamsoncounty-tn.gov/commission

State Permitting Process

Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE)

State Incentives

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

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Three applications denied 2022–2024; two withdrawn under community pressure 2024; one sued county (settled)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

Strongly opposed — organized and effective

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Williamson County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment