Ford County, Illinois solar ordinance
Solar: 50 ft (nonparticipating property) from property lines, 150 ft from homes, 50 ft from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbacknonparticipating property4. 50 feet to the nearest point on the property line of nonparticipating property. | 50 ft |
Setback from homes1,. 150 from the nearest point on the outside wall of the structure, measured from the nearest edge of any component of the facility from occupied community building and dwellings on nonparticipating properties; | 150 ft |
Road setback3. 50 feet from the nearest edge of a public road rights-of-way; | 50 ft |
Maximum height(e) HeighL No component of a solar panel can have a height of more than 20 feet above ground when the solar energy facility's arrays are at fuU tilt. | 20 ft |
Fence heightminimumSystems equipment and structures shall be fully enclosed and secured by a fencing. fence with a minimum height of six feet and not more than 25 feet. | 6 ft |
Minimum lot size(dl Minimum lot size. No commercial solar energy facility shall be erected on any lot less than 20 acres in size. | 20 acres |
Source: Ford County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Illinois state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Illinois rules and counties.
Limits on local rules
Counties cannot ban commercial solar in agricultural or industrial zones and cannot set standards stricter than the state's.
55 ILCS 5/5-12020 (Public Act 102-1123). Source
Solar standards in state law
Counties may adopt these standards but nothing stricter.
| Homes (non-participating) | 150 ft |
| Schools, churches, community buildings | 150 ft |
| Property line (non-participating) | 50 ft |
| Public roads | 50 ft |
| Panel height at full tilt | 20 ft |
| Noise | IPCB limits |
55 ILCS 5/5-12020 (Public Act 102-1123). Source
Every Illinois figure in one spreadsheet
157 figures from 23 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 3 of those places are not on this site. Plus Illinois state law.
How these figures were read
We found Ford County's own ordinance and had two AI models read it separately. A figure is shown only when both read the same number and the sentence it comes from was found in the document. Moratoria and bans are checked against the adopting document. Ordinances change and many figures apply only in some cases, so check the cited section with the county before relying on one.
Common questions
What are the solar setbacks in Ford County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft from homes, 50 ft from roads and 50 ft (nonparticipating property) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Ford County, IL?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Ford County, IL?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 20 acres. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.