Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland: solar permitting grade D (score 55/100, 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 55/100 |
| Population | 1,062,061 |
| 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 ACTIVE (Executive Order 109-26) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Montgomery County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Maryland'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 Montgomery County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Gaithersburg city
- Rockville city
- Takoma Park city
- Barnesville town
- Brookeville town
- Chevy Chase View town
- Chevy Chase Village town
- Chevy Chase town
- Garrett Park town
- Glen Echo town
- Kensington town
- Laytonsville town
- Poolesville town
- Somerset town
- Washington Grove town
- Chevy Chase Section Five village
- Chevy Chase Section Three village
- Martin's Additions village
- North Chevy Chase village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Howard County · ≈17 miC51—
- Falls Church County, VA · ≈18 miA27—
- Arlington County, VA · ≈19 miC51—
- District of Columbia County, DC · ≈19 miC44—
- Fairfax City, VA · ≈20 miB34—
- Fairfax County, VA · ≈21 miD65—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Montgomery County ranks #20 of 24 ranked Maryland counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Maryland: Anne Arundel County (B · 34), Washington County (B · 37), St. Mary's County (B · 38). See all Maryland 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.