Highlands County
Highlands County, Florida: 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 | 106,221 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Highlands County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Florida's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Polk County (≈47 mi) · Charlotte County (≈49 mi) · Sarasota County (≈64 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Highlands County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Avon Park city
- Sebring city
- Lake Placid town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Okeechobee County · ≈28 miB35—
- Glades County · ≈28 miB40—
- DeSoto County · ≈30 miB35—
- Hardee County · ≈31 miA26—
- Polk County · ≈47 miB33—
- Charlotte County · ≈49 miC46—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Highlands County ranks #44 of 67 ranked Florida counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Florida: Hardee County (A · 26), Pinellas County (A · 28), Osceola County (B · 31). See all Florida 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.