San Diego County
San Diego County, California: solar permitting grade F (score 67/100, 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 67/100 |
| Population | 3,298,000 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
Developer outlook
San Diego 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 San Diego County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Carlsbad city
- Chula Vista city
- Coronado city
- Del Mar city
- El Cajon city
- Encinitas city
- Escondido city
- Imperial Beach city
- La Mesa city
- Lemon Grove city
- National City city
- Oceanside city
- Poway city
- San Diego city
- San Marcos city
- Santee city
- Solana Beach city
- Vista city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Riverside County · ≈66 miD65—
- Orange County · ≈73 miF66—
- Imperial County · ≈82 miC51—
- Los Angeles County · ≈118 miF72—
- San Bernardino County · ≈131 miC45—
- Ventura County · ≈164 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
San Diego County ranks #55 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 2026-09-25. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.