Washington County, Illinois solar ordinance
Solar: 50 ft (boundary lines of nonparticipating property) from property lines, 50 ft (public road rights-of-way) from roads, 20 ft (at full tilt) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar 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 setbackboundary lines of nonparticipating propertyd. Boundary Lines of Nonparticipat ing Property: fifty (50) feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating property. | 50 ft |
Setback from homesoccupied community buildings and dwellings on nonparticipating propertiesa. Occupied Community Buildings and Dwellings on Nonparticipating Properties : one hundred fifty (150) feet to the nearest point on the outside wall of the structure. | 150 ft |
Road setbackpublic road rights-of-waye. Public Road Rights - of - Way: fifty (50) feet the nearest edge of the public road right - of - way. | 50 ft |
Maximum heightat full tiltNo component of a solar panel, cell or modules may exceed twenty (20) feet in height above the ground at full tilt. | 20 ft |
Fence heightminimumA fence of at least six (6) feet and not more than twenty - five (25) feet in height shall enclose and secure the Commercial Solar Energy Facili ty. | 6 ft |
Source: Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft (occupied community buildings and dwellings on nonparticipating properties) from homes, 50 ft (boundary lines of nonparticipating property) from property lines and 50 ft (public road rights-of-way) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Washington County, IL?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (at full tilt). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.