Risk Grade

Fair

Ag-land solar overlay creates compliance friction; growing population increasing rooftop saturation; mixed political signals

Assessment Snapshot

Population

133154

State Rank

#13

Compliance

45%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from property lines; 500 ft from residential districts

Zoning Mechanism

CUP required; ag-land overlay restrictions apply on prime farmland

Acreage Caps

Ag-land overlay limits; no hard cap

Density Caps

Ag-land overlay limiting large-scale development on prime farmland

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

Agricultural land overlay restricts projects on prime farmland

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — academic/progressive vs. agricultural opposition

Basis for Assessment

USU community generally pro-solar; farmers resistant to large-scale ag-land conversion

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Nathan Ivie | R | 2026; Brad Bone | R | 2026; Jess Bradshaw | R | 2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp) — West Control Area

Utilities

Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp), Utah State University utility (partial)

State Permitting Process

ESSA for >50 MW; Cache County CUP

State Incentives

Utah Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit; net metering (RMP caps)

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Cache Valley Solar (5 MW, 2022)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

Proposed 120 MW project on farmland denied 2023 (ag-land overlay)

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Cache County, UT — Solar Development Risk Assessment