Woodford County, Illinois solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 50 ft from property lines, 500 ft from homes, 18 ft (maximum tilt of the solar panel) maximum height. Wind: 1.1 × height from property lines, 4 × height from homes, 1.1 × height from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 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 setbackThe front, side and rear yard setbacks shall be a minimum of fifty (50) feet from the property lines which form the outside perimeter of a SFES project area | 50 ft |
Setback from homessolar panels will be be kept at least 500 ft from a residence that is not part of the Special Use. | 500 ft |
Maximum heightmaximum tilt of the solar panelHeight. Shall not exceed eighteen (18) feet at maximum tilt of the solar panel(s). | 18 ft |
Fence heightminimumA fence of at least six (6) feet in height but no greater than eight (8) feet shall enclose the SFES. | 6 ft |
Fence heightmaximumA fence of at least six (6) feet in height but no greater than eight (8) feet shall enclose the SFES. | 8 ft |
Decommissioning bondof estimated costthe Woodford County Board shall set an amount to be held in Surety bond in the amount of 110% of the estimated cost. | 110% |
Source: Woodford County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 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 setbackAll WECS Towers shall be set back a distance of at least 1.10 times the WECS Tower Height from adjacent property lines. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from homesAll WECS Towers set back shall be a distance of four (4) times the tower height from any non-participating, habitable farm homestead whose residential portion of the farm will be determined by the Woodford County aerial map in conjunction with the GIS land use layer | 4 × height |
Road setbackAll WECS Towers shall be set back a distance of at least 1.10 times the WECS Tower Height from public roads, third party transmission lines, and communications towers. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from third party transmission lines and communications towersAll WECS Towers shall be set back a distance of at least 1.10 times the WECS Tower Height from public roads, third party transmission lines, and communications towers. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from homes, participating ownerand no less than 1.1 times the tower height from the applying property owner’s dwelling structure. | 1.1 × height |
Source: Woodford County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 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 Woodford 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 Woodford 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.
How tall can a solar farm be in Woodford County, IL?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 18 ft (maximum tilt of the solar panel). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Woodford County, IL?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 4 × height from homes, 1.1 × height from roads and 1.1 × height from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.