Ramsey County
Ramsey County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade A (score 26/100, Low Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | A · Low Risk · Score 26/100 |
| Population | 552,352 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Ramsey County is among the lower-risk jurisdictions in Minnesota for utility-scale solar development — ordinance conditions are favorable and permitting history is constructive. Minnesota's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Ramsey County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Arden Hills city
- Blaine citypartly in this county
- Falcon Heights city
- Gem Lake city
- Lauderdale city
- Little Canada city
- Maplewood city
- Mounds View city
- New Brighton city
- North Oaks city
- North St. Paul city
- Roseville city
- Shoreview city
- Spring Lake Park citypartly in this county
- St. Anthony citypartly in this county
- St. Paul city
- Vadnais Heights city
- White Bear Lake city
- White Bear township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Washington County · ≈10 miB37—
- Hennepin County · ≈18 miA27—
- Anoka County · ≈19 miB31—
- Dakota County · ≈24 miB36—
- Saint Croix County, WI · ≈32 miD58—
- Scott County · ≈33 miB36—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Ramsey County ranks #1 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Hennepin County (A · 27), Rock County (A · 28), Saint Louis County (A · 29). 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.