SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / AR / Saline

Saline County, AR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

56.2
Risk Grade
Fair
Benton/Little Rock suburban county; fastest-growing AR county (+8.9%); high land values limit utility-scale opportunities; residential opposition growing; Entergy grid; MISO; high saturation in suburban areas; worsening trajectory as growth continues
Assessment Snapshot
Population
128416
State Rank
#33
Compliance
50%
Trajectory
46

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) - Quorum Court/Planning Commission
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed - fast-growing affluent suburb; residential opposition to land-use changes; some economic support
Basis for Assessment
Saline County Planning Commission; Benton Courier; Bryant Grove Sun
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
County Judge (R); 9-member Quorum Court - salinecountyar.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / Entergy Arkansas
Utilities
Entergy Arkansas, None (full Entergy service territory)
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
Benton Solar (12 MW, 2020); Saline County Distributed I (8 MW, 2021); Bryant Area Solar (15 MW, 2022)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects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