Bonner County
Bonner County, Idaho: solar permitting grade C (score 46/100, 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 46/100 |
| Population | 47,200 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Bonner County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Idaho's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Bonner County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Clark Fork city
- Dover city
- East Hope city
- Hope city
- Kootenai city
- Oldtown city
- Ponderay city
- Priest River city
- Sandpoint city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Boundary County · ≈32 miD53—
- Pend Oreille County, WA · ≈33 miB42—
- Kootenai County · ≈44 miD56—
- Lincoln County, MT · ≈57 miB40—
- Stevens County, WA · ≈58 miC47—
- Spokane County, WA · ≈61 miB38—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Bonner County ranks #31 of 44 ranked Idaho counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Idaho: Blaine County (A · 18), Teton County (A · 19), Latah County (A · 25). See all Idaho 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.