Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California: solar permitting grade C (score 44/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 44/100 |
| Population | 1,165,927 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Contra Costa County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. California's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups
- 2024-09-04SolarCounty File #CDLP22-02019: The applicant is requesting land use permit approval for the purpose of constructing and operating a boat & recreational vehicle… · agenda
- 2024-03-18SolarCounty File CDLP22-02036: RENEWABLE AMERICA, LLC (Applicant) - JEFFREY JAY JESS (Owner) approved the Land Use Permit for a commercial solar energy facility on… · agenda
- 2022-11-21TransmissionApproval of the Land Use Permit for the installation of a new Dish Wireless telecommunications facility on a PG&E transmission tower. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Contra Costa County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Antioch city
- Brentwood city
- Clayton city
- Concord city
- El Cerrito city
- Hercules city
- Lafayette city
- Martinez city
- Oakley city
- Orinda city
- Pinole city
- Pittsburg city
- Pleasant Hill city
- Richmond city
- San Pablo city
- San Ramon city
- Walnut Creek city
- Danville town
- Moraga town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Alameda County · ≈19 miF68—
- Solano County · ≈24 miD55—
- San Joaquin County · ≈37 miD52—
- San Mateo County · ≈42 miD52—
- Marin County · ≈44 miC48—
- Napa County · ≈45 miD58—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Contra Costa County ranks #29 of 58 ranked California counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in California: Colusa County (A · 23), Glenn County (A · 26), Siskiyou County (A · 29). See all California county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.