Chemung County
Chemung County, New York: solar permitting grade B (score 35/100, 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 35/100 |
| Population | 84,047 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Chemung County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. New York'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
- 2022-05-26SolarRequest for approval of a community solar farm on two vacant parcels in Residential and Agricultural Zoning Districts · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
In New York, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Chemung County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Elmira city
- Ashland town
- Baldwin town
- Big Flats town
- Catlin town
- Chemung town
- Elmira town
- Erin town
- Horseheads town
- Southport town
- Van Etten town
- Veteran town
- Elmira Heights village
- Horseheads village
- Millport village
- Wellsburg village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Schuyler County · ≈21 miB36—
- Tioga County · ≈23 miB38—
- Tompkins County · ≈25 miC46—
- Bradford County, PA · ≈28 miD55—
- Steuben County · ≈34 miB41—
- Tioga County, PA · ≈38 miD56—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Chemung County ranks #16 of 62 ranked New York counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in New York: Bronx County (A · 28), Saratoga County (B · 30), Queens County (B · 30). See all New York 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.