Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 65/100, High Risk). Score has worsened by 16 points over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 65/100 |
| Population | 1,150,309 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status not yet documented |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Worsening (composite risk score has risen over 12 months) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Fairfax 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
12 energy-related meetings · 11 opposition groups
- Data CenterThe Planning Commission approved a special-use permit application for a data center in the C-5 through C-8 Districts. · agenda
- SolarThe Planning Commission approved a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm in I-3 through I-6 Districts. · agenda
- BESSThe Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm · 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.