Botetourt County
Botetourt County, Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 61/100, High Risk). Score has worsened by 23 points over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 61/100 |
| Population | 34,244 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status not yet documented |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Worsening (composite risk score has risen over 12 months) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Botetourt County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Conditions have been tightening over the past 12 months — watch for additional ordinance changes or board activity. Virginia's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
14 energy-related meetings · 6 opposition groups
- 2026-05-29Data CenterThe Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm in Botetourt County. · agenda
- 2026-03-29SolarThe Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit for Barkett's Roanoke Road Solar 1, LLC c/o New Leaf Energy Inc. · agenda
- 2026-02-28TransmissionThe county will lease a property for transmission line work and storm damage repair operations. · agenda
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 →
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.