Cass County, Indiana solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 5 acres (Commercial Solar Energy System) minimum lot. Wind: 3 × height (Commercial WECS Tower) from homes, 1,800 ft (Commercial WECS Tower) from roads, 60 dBA (Commercial WECS, measured from nearest property line) noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 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 setbackCommercial Solar Energy System ground mounted equipment from non-participating propertyAny CSES ground mounted equipment, excluding any security fencing, poles, roads and wires necessary to connect to facilities if the electric utility (“Equipment”), must be fifty (50) feet from property lines of any non-participating property | 50 ft |
Fence heightCommercial Solar Energy System enclosureAll ground-mounted CSES shall be completely enclosed by a six (6) foot high fence. | 6 ft |
Minimum lot sizeCommercial Solar Energy SystemH. CSES are a minimum 5 acres. | 5 acres |
Noise limitCommercial Solar Energy System, measured from nearest property lineNoise from a CSES shall be no greater than sixty (60) decibels measured from nearest property line. | 60 dBA |
Source: Cass County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesCommercial WECS TowerResidential dwellings, measured from the 3 times the total height of the WECS center of the WECS Tower to the nearest Tower, (where the blade tip is at its highest corner of the structure point), provided that the distance is no less than one thousand eight hundred (1,800) feet | 3 × height |
Setback from homesCommercial WECS TowerResidential dwellings, measured from the 3 times the total height of the WECS center of the WECS Tower to the nearest Tower, (where the blade tip is at its highest corner of the structure point), provided that the distance is no less than one thousand eight hundred (1,800) feet | 1,800 ft |
Road setbackCommercial WECS TowerPublic road right-of-way, measured from the 3 times the total height of the WECS Tower, center of the WECS Tower to the edge of (where the blade tip is at its highest the right-of-way point),provided that the distance is no less than one thousand eight hundred feet (1800) | 1,800 ft |
Setback from homes, participating ownerCommercial WECS Tower on participating property1The setback for residential dwellings shall be no less than 1.5 times the total height of the WECS Tower provided that the distance is no less than one thousand (1,000) feet of a COMMERCIAL WECS Tower, measured from the center of the WECS Tower to the nearest corner of the structure, if on a participating property. | 1.5 × height |
Setback from homes, participating ownerCommercial WECS Tower on participating property1The setback for residential dwellings shall be no less than 1.5 times the total height of the WECS Tower provided that the distance is no less than one thousand (1,000) feet of a COMMERCIAL WECS Tower, measured from the center of the WECS Tower to the nearest corner of the structure, if on a participating property. | 1,000 ft |
Noise limitCommercial WECS, measured from nearest property lineCommercial WECS shall be no greater than sixty (60) decibels for a Non-participating property measured from the nearest property line. | 60 dBA |
Source: Cass County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Indiana state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Indiana rules and counties.
Solar standards in state law
Optional default standards for solar of 10 MW or more: they apply only in a county or town that voluntarily becomes a solar energy ready community (it may adopt looser ones), for applications filed after June 30, 2022.
| Homes (non-participating) | 250 ft |
| Property line (non-participating) | 50 ft |
| Public roads | 40 ft (interstate, state, county highways) from right-of-way |
| Public roads | 30 ft (collector), 10 ft (local) from right-of-way |
| Panel height at full tilt | 25 ft |
| Fence height | 6 ft minimum |
| Noise | 50 dBA (hourly average, at nearest non-participating dwelling) |
IC 8-1-42-1, -2, -10, -12, -16 (P.L.90-2022). Source
Wind standards in state law
Optional default standards: they apply only in a county or town that voluntarily becomes a wind energy ready community (it may adopt looser ones), for applications filed after June 30, 2022.
| Homes (non-participating) | 3 × tip height |
| Property line (non-participating) | 1.1 × tip height |
| Public roads | 1.1 × tip height (to road centerline) |
| Town limits | 1 mile (town may waive) |
| Tip height | No local cap stricter than FAA Part 77 |
| Shadow flicker | 30 hours/year |
| Noise | 50 dBA (hourly average, at dwelling wall) |
| Decommissioning | Bond: 25% of cost by commercial operation, stepping up later |
IC 8-1-41-1, -10, -11, -13, -16 (P.L.90-2022). Source
Every Indiana figure in one spreadsheet
240 figures from 28 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. Plus the 2 moratoria and bans on file and Indiana state law.
How these figures were read
We found Cass 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 Cass County, IN?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft (Commercial Solar Energy System ground mounted equipment from non-participating property) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Cass County, IN?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 5 acres (Commercial Solar Energy System). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Cass County, IN?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 3 × height (Commercial WECS Tower) from homes, 1,800 ft (Commercial WECS Tower) from homes and 1,800 ft (Commercial WECS Tower) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.