Warren County, Illinois solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 20 ft (side yard) from property lines, 150 ft (residential zoned lot) from homes, 50 ft (front yard setback from edge of right of way) from roads. Wind: 100 ft (large wind system, from property lines) from property lines, 6 × height (occupied structure on adjoining property) from homes, 1.1 × height from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar rules
7 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackside yardThe side yard setback of 20 feet and a rear yard setback of 40 feet shall be maintained. | 20 ft |
Property line setbackrear yardThe side yard setback of 20 feet and a rear yard setback of 40 feet shall be maintained. | 40 ft |
Setback from homesresidential zoned lotand 150 feet from a residential zoned lot. | 150 ft |
Road setbackfront yard setback from edge of right of way2) Setbacks. The front yard setbacks shall be a minimum of 50 feet from the edge of the right of way which form the outside perimeter of a SFES project area | 50 ft |
Maximum height1) Height. Shall not exceed 20 feet at maximum tilt of the solar panel(s). | 20 ft |
Fence height3) Fencing and Safety Signage . A solid or screened security fence that is eight (8 feet in height shall enclose the SFES. | 8 ft |
Minimum lot sizeSFESSOLAR FARM ENERGY SYSTEM (SFES). A commercial facility, on a parcel(s) of five (5) acres or more , that converts sunlight to electricity | 5 acres |
Source: Warren County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 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 |
|---|---|
Property line setbacklarge wind system, from property linesii. 100 feet from all other property lines measured from the tip of the blade when located parallel with the ground unless a variance is approved by the Warren County Board | 100 ft |
Setback from homesoccupied structure on adjoining property2) A large wind energy system 500 feet or less in total height, excluding transmission line poles, shall be located at least 6 times the tower height from an occupied structure on an adjoining property | 6 × height |
Road setback5) All WES Towers shall be set back a distance of at least one and one-tenth (1.10) times the WES Tower Height from public roads | 1.1 × height |
Maximum heightlarge wind energy systemE) Height. The total height of a wind energy system shall be 500 feet or less, except that the total height of transmission lines and transmission line poles shall be 200 feet or less. | 500 ft |
Maximum heighttransmission lines and polesE) Height. The total height of a wind energy system shall be 500 feet or less, except that the total height of transmission lines and transmission line poles shall be 200 feet or less. | 200 ft |
Source: Warren 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
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 Warren 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 Warren County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft (front yard setback from edge of right of way) from roads, 150 ft (residential zoned lot) from homes, 20 ft (side yard) from property lines and 40 ft (rear yard) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Warren 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 Warren County, IL?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 5 acres (SFES). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Warren County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 6 × height (occupied structure on adjoining property) from homes, 1.1 × height from roads and 100 ft (large wind system, from property lines) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.