Randolph County, Illinois solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 50 ft from property lines, 500 ft from homes. Wind: 2,500 ft from homes, 1.25 × height from roads, 650 ft maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
4 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackA minimum of fifty (50) feet must be maintained on all property lines. | 50 ft |
Setback from homesSolar panels shall be kept at least five hundred (500) feet from a residence that is not part of the Special Use Permit. | 500 ft |
Fence heightPerimeter fencingPerimeter fencing having a height of six (6) to eight (8) feet shall be installed around the boundary of the solar farm. | 6 ft |
Fence heightPerimeter fencingPerimeter fencing having a height of six (6) to eight (8) feet shall be installed around the boundary of the solar farm. | 8 ft |
Source: Randolph County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
5 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesAll WECS turbines shall be set back at least two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet from principal use structures on a non-participating parcel. | 2,500 ft |
Road setbackAll WECS turbines shall be set back at least 1.25 times the WECS turbine height from public roads, third party transmission lines, and communication towers. | 1.25 × height |
Setback from incorporated municipality’s boundariesAll WECS turbines shall be set back a distance of at least one and one-half (1.5) miles (7,920 feet) from any incorporated municipality’s boundaries | 1.5 miles |
Maximum heightWECS turbine height shall not exceed six hundred fifty (650) feet anywhere in Randolph County for any WECS Project | 650 ft |
Decommissioning bondprofessional engineer’s certified estimate of the decommissioning and site reclamation costsFinancial assurance, in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit, secured by the owner or operator, for the purpose of adequately performing decommissioning and site reclamation, in an amount equal to one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the professional engineer’s certified estimate | 150% |
Source: Randolph County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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
Wind standards in state law
Counties may adopt these standards but nothing stricter.
| Homes (non-participating) | 2.1 × tip height |
| Schools, churches, community buildings | 2.1 × tip height |
| Property line (non-participating) | 1.1 × tip height |
| Public roads | 1.1 × tip height |
| Tip height | FAA no-hazard height |
| 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 Randolph 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 Randolph County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft from property lines and 500 ft from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Randolph County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 2,500 ft from homes and 1.25 × height from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.