Mesa County
Mesa County, Colorado: solar permitting grade D (score 59/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 59/100 |
| Population | 154,210 |
| 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
Mesa County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Colorado's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Mesa County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Fruita city
- Grand Junction city
- Collbran town
- De Beque town
- Palisade town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Delta County · ≈34 miB31—
- Montrose County · ≈43 miD53—
- Garfield County · ≈50 miC46—
- Grand County, UT · ≈60 miB35—
- Rio Blanco County · ≈67 miB37—
- San Miguel County · ≈70 miD54—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Mesa County ranks #63 of 64 ranked Colorado counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Colorado: Kit Carson County (A · 15), Baca County (A · 15), Cheyenne County (A · 17). See all Colorado 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.