Saint Joseph County
Saint Joseph 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 | 62,422 |
| 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 Joseph 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: LaGrange County (≈19 mi) · Kalamazoo County (≈23 mi) · Cass County (≈25 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Saint Joseph County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Sturgis city
- Three Rivers city
- Burr Oak village
- Centreville village
- Colon village
- Constantine village
- Mendon village
- White Pigeon village
- Burr Oak township
- Colon township
- Constantine township
- Fabius township
- Fawn River township
- Florence township
- Flowerfield township
- Leonidas township
- Lockport township
- Mendon township
- Mottville township
- Nottawa township
- Park township
- Sherman township
- Sturgis township
- White Pigeon township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- LaGrange County, IN · ≈19 miB37—
- Kalamazoo County · ≈23 miD56—
- Branch County · ≈23 miC50—
- Cass County · ≈25 miC50—
- Elkhart County, IN · ≈28 miD52—
- Steuben County, IN · ≈33 miC48—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Saint Joseph County ranks #43 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.