Sanilac County
Sanilac 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 | 40,952 |
| 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
Sanilac 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. 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
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Sanilac County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Brown City citypartly in this county
- Croswell city
- Marlette city
- Sandusky city
- Applegate village
- Carsonville village
- Deckerville village
- Forestville village
- Lexington village
- Melvin village
- Minden City village
- Peck village
- Port Sanilac village
- Argyle township
- Austin township
- Bridgehampton township
- Buel township
- Custer township
- Delaware township
- Elk township
- Elmer township
- Evergreen township
- Flynn township
- Forester township
Show all
- Fremont township
- Greenleaf township
- Lamotte township
- Lexington township
- Maple Valley township
- Marion township
- Marlette township
- Minden township
- Moore township
- Sanilac township
- Speaker township
- Washington township
- Watertown township
- Wheatland township
- Worth township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Huron County · ≈33 miC51—
- Saint Clair County · ≈36 miB35—
- Lapeer County · ≈38 miB40—
- Tuscola County · ≈40 miB38—
- Macomb County · ≈55 miA28—
- Genesee County · ≈61 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Sanilac County ranks #42 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.