SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / MO / Cass

Cass County, MO — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

39.2
Risk Grade
Good
KC S suburb (Harrisonville/Belton); growing suburban; limited utility-scale land; commercial primary; local CUP
Assessment Snapshot
Population
105,780
State Rank
#11
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
48

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified. No county-specific solar ordinance confirmed.
Zoning Mechanism
Special Use Permit (SUP) required for utility-scale solar. County Commission reviews per Chapter 400. PSC certificate required statewide per RSMo §394.300.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Generally receptive — growing KC suburb; some agricultural land opportunity
Basis for Assessment
KC S suburb (Harrisonville/Belton); growing suburban; limited utility-scale land; commercial primary; local CUP
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Commission | 3 members | Presiding + 2 Associate Commissioners | 4-yr staggered terms | Partisan elections | All R per 2024 results | Solar SUP ordinance No. 24-05 adopted June 2024

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SPP / Evergy Metro (KCPL) zone
Utilities
Evergy Metro (KCPL), Kansas City Power & Light / Evergy
State Permitting Process
No statewide siting authority or preemption for utility-scale solar — full local control at county level. County CUP/SUP or special use process governs all utility-scale solar regardless of size. No minimum threshold above which state takes jurisdiction. County boards and planning commissions have full authority. Western MO (Kansas City area) in SPP territory; eastern and central MO in MISO territory — see Interconnection Zone column for per-county designation. Active local opposition and restrictive ordinances in rural counties 2020–2024.
State Incentives
Missouri has no Renewable Portfolio Standard — legislature has repeatedly declined to enact one. Net metering: available under MO PSC Order (Ameren Missouri, Evergy — limited program). Property tax exemption for solar equipment: available. Sales tax exemption: solar equipment purchases exempt under §144.020.1(10). New MO solar property tax structure (2025): fixed $2,500/MW for projects placed in service Aug 28 2025+. CRITICAL: MO SB 849 statewide solar moratorium (passed Senate Commerce Committee Feb 10 2026; Gov. Kehoe supports; emergency clause = immediate effect upon signing) would halt all new and current solar construction through Dec 31 2027. As of Mar 23 2026: pending full Senate/House vote. Utility: Ameren Missouri serves central/eastern MO; Evergy Kansas City serves western MO; multiple rural electric cooperatives serve agricultural areas.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Cass County Solar (Savion/Ameren Missouri) | 150 MW | PSC approved 2024 | Under Construction
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed Missouri PSC denials for Cass County. SB 849 moratorium if signed would block new utility-scale solar statewide.

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