Saint Clair County
Saint Clair County, Michigan: solar permitting grade B (score 35/100, 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 35/100 |
| Population | 162,187 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Saint Clair 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
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Saint Clair County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Algonac city
- Marine City city
- Marysville city
- Memphis citypartly in this county
- Port Huron city
- Richmond citypartly in this county
- St. Clair city
- Yale city
- Capac village
- Emmett village
- Berlin township
- Brockway township
- Burtchville township
- Casco township
- China township
- Clay township
- Clyde township
- Columbus township
- Cottrellville township
- East China township
- Emmett township
- Fort Gratiot charter township
- Grant township
- Greenwood township
Show all
- Ira township
- Kenockee township
- Kimball township
- Lynn township
- Mussey township
- Port Huron charter township
- Riley township
- St. Clair township
- Wales township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Macomb County · ≈22 miA28—
- Lapeer County · ≈30 miB40—
- Sanilac County · ≈36 miB36—
- Oakland County · ≈41 miA29—
- Genesee County · ≈53 miC47—
- Wayne County · ≈54 miC44—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Saint Clair County ranks #31 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.