James City
James City, Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 56/100, 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 56/100 |
| Population | 76,523 |
| 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
James City 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. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- TransmissionJames City County discussed the height of various components of a transmission line project. · agenda
- TransmissionHlavin stated that the discussion and review should be limited to the applications before the Commission and should not take the transmission line into account… · agenda
- SolarPlanning Commission heard a special-use permit application for a 3-megawatt solar facility and discussed it · agenda
Nearby counties
- Williamsburg County · ≈5 miB32—
- Gloucester County · ≈15 miB39—
- Surry County · ≈15 miF74—
- Charles City · ≈15 miD54—
- New Kent County · ≈17 miC43—
- Newport News County · ≈22 miB33—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
James City ranks #110 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.