Does Houston County, Minnesota have a solar moratorium?

No. As of 2026-05-02, Houston County, Minnesota has no active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months.

What is Houston County’s solar permitting risk grade?

Houston County, Minnesota has a SitePath solar permitting grade of B — risk score 32/100 (Moderate Risk). Grades are based on primary-source county ordinances, board votes, and permitting activity, reviewed as of 2026-05-02.

What are the solar permitting rules in Houston County, Minnesota?

Ordinance status: Active solar ordinance on the books. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. See the full primary-source record — ordinance links, setbacks, board actions, and project history — on this page.

SitePath › County map › Minnesota › Houston County

Minnesota

Houston County

FIPS 27055

Houston County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade B (score 32/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.

Score 32/100

Moderate Risk

Public summary

Grade	B · Moderate Risk · Score 32/100
Population	19,076
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

Houston 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

On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups

Solar
Several international companies are investing in manufacturing facilities and corporate offices in Houston County, creating jobs. · agenda

See full meetings + dockets + opposition tracking →

Cities, towns & townships

Local governments in Houston County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.

Brownsville city
Caledonia city
Eitzen city
Hokah city
Houston city
La Crescent city
Spring Grove city
Black Hammer township
Brownsville township
Caledonia township
Crooked Creek township
Hokah township
Houston township
Jefferson township
La Crescent township
Mayville township
Money Creek township
Mound Prairie township
Sheldon township
Spring Grove township
Union township
Wilmington township
Winnebago township
Yucatan township

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.

Nearby counties

La Crosse County, WI · ≈26 miB41—
Winona County · ≈26 miC43—
Allamakee County, IA · ≈28 miB37—
Fillmore County · ≈30 miB41—
Winneshiek County, IA · ≈31 miB38—
Vernon County, WI · ≈35 miC42—

Compare these counties side-by-side →

Houston County ranks #8 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Saint Louis 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.

Open the full Houston County profile → Request a demo

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 →