Scott County
Scott County, Minnesota: 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 | 159,474 |
| 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
Scott 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. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- 2026-05-19BESSContinuing education and training on battery storage for businesses, residents, and staff. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Scott County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Belle Plaine city
- Elko New Market city
- Jordan city
- New Prague citypartly in this county
- Prior Lake city
- Savage city
- Shakopee city
- Belle Plaine township
- Blakeley township
- Cedar Lake township
- Helena township
- Jackson township
- Louisville township
- New Market township
- Sand Creek township
- Spring Lake township
- St. Lawrence township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Carver County · ≈18 miD56—
- Le Sueur County · ≈22 miD55—
- Dakota County · ≈23 miB36—
- Rice County · ≈24 miB36—
- Hennepin County · ≈25 miA27—
- Ramsey County · ≈33 miA26—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Scott County ranks #32 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.