Giles County
Giles County, Virginia: solar permitting grade C (score 44/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 44/100 |
| Population | 16,123 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Giles County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. 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: Radford County (≈16 mi) · Montgomery County (≈20 mi) · Craig County (≈29 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Giles County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Glen Lyn town
- Narrows town
- Pearisburg town
- Pembroke town
- Rich Creek town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Radford County · ≈16 miA28—
- Pulaski County · ≈17 miD52—
- Monroe County, WV · ≈19 miD57—
- Montgomery County · ≈20 miB38—
- Mercer County, WV · ≈22 miD57—
- Summers County, WV · ≈25 miD60—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Giles County ranks #66 of 133 ranked Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Virginia: Charlottesville County (A · 23), Falls Church County (A · 27), Manassas Park 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.