Columbia County
Columbia County, Wisconsin: 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.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 41/100 |
| Population | 58,203 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Columbia County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Columbia County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Columbus city
- Lodi city
- Portage city
- Wisconsin Dells citypartly in this county
- Arlington town
- Caledonia town
- Columbus town
- Courtland town
- Dekorra town
- Fort Winnebago town
- Fountain Prairie town
- Hampden town
- Leeds town
- Lewiston town
- Lodi town
- Lowville town
- Marcellon town
- Newport town
- Otsego town
- Pacific town
- Randolph town
- Scott town
- Springvale town
- West Point town
Show all
- Wyocena town
- Arlington village
- Cambria village
- Doylestown village
- Fall River village
- Friesland village
- Pardeeville village
- Poynette village
- Randolph village
- Rio village
- Wyocena village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Marquette County · ≈25 miB34—
- Green Lake County · ≈26 miB38—
- Dane County · ≈28 miD58—
- Sauk County · ≈31 miB31—
- Dodge County · ≈32 miC45—
- Adams County · ≈41 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Columbia County ranks #45 of 72 ranked Wisconsin counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Wisconsin: Sauk County (B · 31), Crawford County (B · 32), Sawyer County (B · 32). See all Wisconsin 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.