Franklin County
Franklin County, New York: solar permitting grade B (score 40/100, 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 40/100 |
| Population | 50,022 |
| 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
Franklin 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: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In New York, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Franklin County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Bangor town
- Bellmont town
- Bombay town
- Brandon town
- Brighton town
- Burke town
- Chateaugay town
- Constable town
- Dickinson town
- Duane town
- Fort Covington town
- Franklin town
- Harrietstown town
- Malone town
- Moira town
- Santa Clara town
- Tupper Lake town
- Waverly town
- Westville town
- Brushton village
- Burke village
- Chateaugay village
- Malone village
- Saranac Lake villagepartly in this county
Show all
- Tupper Lake village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Clinton County · ≈32 miB34—
- Saint Lawrence County · ≈38 miC44—
- Essex County · ≈43 miD52—
- Grand Isle County, VT · ≈52 miB30—
- Chittenden County, VT · ≈62 miB36—
- Hamilton County · ≈65 miB33—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Franklin County ranks #32 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.