SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / AR / Craighead

Craighead County, AR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

49.4
Risk Grade
Fair
NE Arkansas economic center; Jonesboro urbanization creating solar siting pressure; flat Delta fringe land; Entergy grid; elevated CUP scrutiny vs. rural Delta counties
Assessment Snapshot
Population
113237
State Rank
#27
Compliance
48%
Trajectory
48

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
300 ft property line; 500 ft occupied structures; additional urban fringe setbacks
Zoning Mechanism
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) - Planning Commission; public hearing required
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed - urban growth concerns vs. rural landowner support
Basis for Assessment
Planning commission minutes; Jonesboro Sun; KAIT news coverage
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Judge (R); 15-member Quorum Court - craighead.ar.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / Entergy Arkansas
Utilities
Entergy Arkansas, First Electric Cooperative
State Permitting Process
County zoning authority; Act 827 sets minimum ANRC standards; conditional use permit or special exception required; decommissioning bond required; setback minimums set by ANRC
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; no Arkansas state solar tax credit; Act 827 ANRC framework

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Craighead Solar (40 MW, 2021); Jonesboro Solar Farm (30 MW, 2022); NE AR Solar (25 MW, 2023); Brookland Solar (18 MW, 2023)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None known

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Last verified: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes