Lafayette County, AR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

44.3
Risk Grade
Good
Very rural SW Arkansas; second-least-populous AR county; extremely low density; minimal regulatory capacity; Entergy/SWEPCO grid; strong economic development motivation
Assessment Snapshot
Population
6397
State Rank
#13
Compliance
30%
Trajectory
30

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft property line; 300 ft occupied structures (ANRC minimums)
Zoning Mechanism
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) - County Judge/Quorum Court (minimal planning infrastructure)
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive - among smallest AR counties; economic development welcomed
Basis for Assessment
County judge statements; limited local press
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Judge (R); 9-member Quorum Court - verify arcountydata.com

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / Entergy Arkansas
Utilities
Entergy Arkansas, Southwestern Electric Power Co (SWEPCO/AEP)
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
Lafayette County Solar (20 MW, 2024)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None known

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker