Clarke County
Clarke County, Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 63/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 63/100 |
| Population | 14,791 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Clarke County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Virginia's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Winchester County (≈11 mi) · Jefferson County (≈15 mi) · Warren County (≈18 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Clarke County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Berryville town
- Boyce town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Winchester County · ≈11 miB33—
- Jefferson County, WV · ≈15 miC50—
- Frederick County · ≈16 miC51—
- Warren County · ≈18 miC48—
- Loudoun County · ≈19 miD60—
- Berkeley County, WV · ≈24 miB39—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Clarke County ranks #122 of 133 ranked Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Virginia: Charlottesville County (A · 23), Manassas Park County (A · 27), Falls Church County (A · 27). See all Virginia 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.