Shelby County, Indiana solar ordinance
Solar: 660 ft (from non-participating property) from property lines, 500 ft from roads, 20 ft (ground mounted solar equipment) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 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 setbackfrom non-participating propertyA minimum of 660-feet from the property line of any non-participating property, including the property line of properties not adjacent to the CSES. | 660 ft |
Road setbackA minimum of 500 feet from the centerline of any public road. | 500 ft |
Maximum heightground mounted solar equipmentThe height of any CSES ground mounted solar equipment is limited to 20 feet, as measured from the highest natural grade below each solar panel. | 20 ft |
Fence heightminimum heightFencing shall be a minimum height of six (6) feet and shall not exceed a height of eight (8) feet. | 6 ft |
Fence heightmaximum heightFencing shall be a minimum height of six (6) feet and shall not exceed a height of eight (8) feet. | 8 ft |
Maximum project sizecumulative area of all land within CSES overlay district as percent of total acres of cropland in Shelby CountyThe cumulative area of all land within the CSES Overlay District shall be limited to one percent (1%) of the total acres of cropland in Shelby County, Indiana as determined by the latest available data provided by the Census of Agriculture | 1% |
Noise limithourly average sound levelSound attributable of any CSES shall not exceed an hourly average sound level of forty (40) A-weighted decibels, as modeled at the perimeter boundary line of the CSES. | 40 dBA |
Source: Shelby 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
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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, IN?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 500 ft from roads and 660 ft (from non-participating property) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Shelby County, IN?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (ground mounted solar equipment). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.