Does Mathews County, Virginia have a solar moratorium?

No. As of 2026-05-02, Mathews County, Virginia has no active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months.

What is Mathews County’s solar permitting risk grade?

Mathews County, Virginia has a SitePath solar permitting grade of B — risk score 41/100 (Moderate Risk). Grades are based on primary-source county ordinances, board votes, and permitting activity, reviewed as of 2026-05-02.

What are the solar permitting rules in Mathews County, Virginia?

Ordinance status: Active, restrictive solar ordinance. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. See the full primary-source record — ordinance links, setbacks, board actions, and project history — on this page.

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Virginia

Mathews County

FIPS 51115

Mathews County, Virginia: solar permitting grade B (score 41/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.

Score 41/100

Moderate Risk

Public summary

Grade	B · Moderate Risk · Score 41/100
Population	8,978
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

Mathews County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. 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 · named opposition groups

Solar
Planning Commission considered a Conditional Use Permit application for a shared solar garden or solar farm at 8444 Buckley Hall Road, Mathews, VA. · agenda
Solar
Mathews County Planning Commission held a public hearing on a potential amendment to the Comprehensive Plan regarding utility scale solar facilities. · agenda
Solar
Planning Commission considered a Conditional Use Permit for a shared solar garden or solar farm. · agenda

See full meetings + dockets + opposition tracking →

Nearby counties

Gloucester County · ≈14 miB38—
York County · ≈16 miC42—
Middlesex County · ≈19 miC42—
Poquoson County · ≈21 miB33—
Northampton County · ≈21 miC47—
Lancaster County · ≈21 miD58—

Compare these counties side-by-side →

Mathews County ranks #55 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.

Open the full Mathews County profile → Request a demo

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 →