White County, Indiana solar, wind and battery storage ordinance
Solar: 20 ft (ground based, when panels in full tilt) maximum height. Wind: 1,000 ft (nearest point on the outer wall of a residential dwelling) from homes, 1.1 × height (centerline of any public road right-of-way) from roads, 140 ft (Commercial and Non-Commercial WECS) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
1 figure read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Maximum heightground based, when panels in full tiltAll solar arrays along with their associated support structures must be ground based not to exceed twenty (20) feet in height when the panels are in full tilt | 20 ft |
Source: White County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
4 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesnearest point on the outer wall of a residential dwellingshall be constructed no less than 1000 ft. from the vertical centerline of the WECS Tower to the nearest point on any outer wall of the dwelling. | 1,000 ft |
Road setbackcenterline of any public road right-of-wayThe centerline of any public road right-of-way One and one tenth (1.1) times the total height of the WECS Turbine when the blade tip is at its highest point | 1.1 × height |
Setback from railroad or public utility easementcenterline of any railroad or public utility easementThe centerline of any railroad or public utility easement or rights-of-way One and one tenth (1.1) times the total height of the WECS Turbine when the blade tip is at its highest point | 1.1 × height |
Maximum heightCommercial and Non-Commercial WECSAny WECS (Commercial or Non-Commercial) shall be no greater than one hundred and forty (140) feet in height. | 140 ft |
Source: White County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Battery storage 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 setbackNo perimeter point of a BESS compoundNo perimeter point of a BESS compound may be closer to a project area property line than three-hundred (300) feet. | 300 ft |
Maximum heightcomponent of a BESS or associated on-site buildingsNo component of a BESS or associated on-site buildings may exceed 20 feet in height. | 20 ft |
Fence heightmaximum fence heightFencing and access gates shall be between six (6) and ten (10) feet tall as measured from the ground grade to the top of the fencing material | 10 ft |
Minimum lot sizeAny BESS project must have a minimum project area of at least five (5) acres; | 5 acres |
Noise limitclosest outer wall of a dwelling on adjacent propertyA BESS may not produce in excess of an hourly average sound level of fifty (50) A-weighted decibels as modeled at the closest outer wall of a dwelling located on any adjacent property. | 50 dBA |
Source: White 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 White 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
How tall can a solar farm be in White County, IN?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (ground based, when panels in full tilt). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in White County, IN?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 1,000 ft (nearest point on the outer wall of a residential dwelling) from homes and 1.1 × height (centerline of any public road right-of-way) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the battery storage setbacks in White County, IN?
The county's ordinance sets battery storage back 300 ft (No perimeter point of a BESS compound) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.