Monterey County
Monterey County, California: solar permitting grade F (score 68/100, Very High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 68/100 |
| Population | 434,061 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Monterey County is very high risk for utility-scale solar permitting. Significant regulatory barriers are on record, and approval is not likely without substantial process investment. 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: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Monterey County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Carmel-by-the-Sea city
- Del Rey Oaks city
- Gonzales city
- Greenfield city
- King City city
- Marina city
- Monterey city
- Pacific Grove city
- Salinas city
- Sand City city
- Seaside city
- Soledad city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- San Benito County · ≈29 miB39—
- Santa Cruz County · ≈66 miD61—
- Santa Clara County · ≈71 miD55—
- Merced County · ≈74 miC47—
- San Luis Obispo County · ≈77 miD52—
- Kings County · ≈84 miC45—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Monterey County ranks #57 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.