Imperial County
Imperial County, California: solar permitting grade C (score 51/100, 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 51/100 |
| Population | 180,216 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Data-center activity | Moratorium Set Aside by Court; Replacement Being Prepared |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Imperial 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: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Imperial County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Brawley city
- Calexico city
- Calipatria city
- El Centro city
- Holtville city
- Imperial city
- Westmorland city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Riverside County · ≈60 miD65—
- San Diego County · ≈82 miF67—
- Yuma County, AZ · ≈86 miC45—
- La Paz County, AZ · ≈90 miC46—
- San Bernardino County · ≈134 miC45—
- Orange County · ≈146 miF66—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Imperial County ranks #41 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.