Washington County
Washington 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 | 274,367 |
| 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
Washington 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 · named opposition groups
- 2026-08-18Data CenterCounty IT Data Center and County PRTS election storage space will occupy the remaining 6,000 SF of a building. · agenda
- 2026-07-07SolarAuthorizing the submission of an application to the Minnesota Department of Commerce for the Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program. · agenda
- 2026-01-06TransmissionWashington County discussed various funding sources for a transmission line project. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Washington County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Afton city
- Bayport city
- Birchwood Village city
- Cottage Grove city
- Dellwood city
- Forest Lake city
- Grant city
- Hastings citypartly in this county
- Hugo city
- Lake Elmo city
- Lake St. Croix Beach city
- Lakeland Shores city
- Lakeland city
- Landfall city
- Mahtomedi city
- Marine on St. Croix city
- Newport city
- Oak Park Heights city
- Oakdale city
- Pine Springs city
- Scandia city
- St. Marys Point city
- St. Paul Park city
- Stillwater city
Show all
- White Bear Lake citypartly in this county
- Willernie city
- Woodbury city
- Baytown township
- Denmark township
- Grey Cloud Island township
- May township
- Stillwater township
- West Lakeland township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Ramsey County · ≈10 miA26—
- Saint Croix County, WI · ≈22 miD58—
- Anoka County · ≈24 miB31—
- Dakota County · ≈27 miB36—
- Hennepin County · ≈29 miA27—
- Pierce County, WI · ≈31 miB38—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Washington County ranks #45 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.