Clearwater County
Clearwater County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade B (score 37/100, 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 37/100 |
| Population | 8,761 |
| 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
Clearwater County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Minnesota'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: Becker County (≈47 mi) · Cass County (≈65 mi) · Wadena County (≈71 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Clearwater County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Bagley city
- Clearbrook city
- Gonvick city
- Leonard city
- Shevlin city
- Bear Creek township
- Clover township
- Copley township
- Dudley township
- Eddy township
- Falk township
- Greenwood township
- Hangaard township
- Holst township
- Itasca township
- La Prairie township
- Leon township
- Long Lost Lake township
- Minerva township
- Moose Creek township
- Nora township
- Pine Lake township
- Popple township
- Rice township
Show all
- Shevlin township
- Sinclair township
- Winsor township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Mahnomen County · ≈27 miB37—
- Beltrami County · ≈28 miB36—
- Red Lake County · ≈39 miB41—
- Hubbard County · ≈40 miB36—
- Pennington County · ≈46 miB36—
- Becker County · ≈47 miB36—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Clearwater County ranks #43 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Rock County (A · 28). See all Minnesota 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.