Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County, Michigan: solar permitting grade B (score 36/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 36/100 |
| Population | 5,729 |
| 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
Ontonagon County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Michigan's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
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: Cook County (≈43 mi) · Iron County (≈71 mi) · Lake County (≈92 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Ontonagon County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Ontonagon village
- Bergland township
- Bohemia township
- Carp Lake township
- Greenland township
- Haight township
- Interior township
- Matchwood township
- McMillan township
- Ontonagon township
- Rockland township
- Stannard township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Houghton County · ≈43 miB35—
- Cook County, MN · ≈43 miB40—
- Gogebic County · ≈52 miB35—
- Baraga County · ≈65 miB35—
- Keweenaw County · ≈71 miB36—
- Iron County, WI · ≈71 miB32—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Ontonagon County ranks #41 of 83 ranked Michigan counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Michigan: Macomb County (A · 28), Oakland County (A · 29), Washtenaw County (B · 31). See all Michigan 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.