Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County, Michigan: solar permitting grade B (score 31/100, 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 31/100 |
| Population | 372,258 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Data-center activity | Moratorium WAVE (multi-jurisdiction) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Ann Arbor city
- Chelsea city
- Dexter city
- Milan citypartly in this county
- Saline city
- Ypsilanti city
- Barton Hills village
- Manchester village
- Ann Arbor charter township
- Augusta charter township
- Bridgewater township
- Dexter township
- Freedom township
- Lima township
- Lodi township
- Lyndon township
- Manchester township
- Northfield township
- Pittsfield charter township
- Salem township
- Saline township
- Scio township
- Sharon township
- Superior charter township
Show all
- Sylvan township
- Webster township
- York charter township
- Ypsilanti charter township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Livingston County · ≈24 miB39—
- Lenawee County · ≈27 miC51—
- Jackson County · ≈29 miB40—
- Monroe County · ≈30 miB37—
- Wayne County · ≈30 miC44—
- Ingham County · ≈36 miC43—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Washtenaw County ranks #3 of 83 ranked Michigan counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Michigan: Macomb County (A · 28), Oakland County (A · 29), Delta County (B · 33). 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.