McLean County, Kentucky solar ordinance
Solar: 25 ft (Level 3 SES) from property lines, 100 ft (Level 3 SES) from homes, 25 ft (Level 3 SES) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 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 setbackLevel 3 SES(1) All equipment shall be at least 25 feet from the perimeter property lines of the project area. | 25 ft |
Setback from homesLevel 3 SES(3) All equipment shall be located at least 100 feet from any residential structure and the maximum height of any individual component will be 25 feet measured from the local ground level of the component. | 100 ft |
Maximum heightLevel 3 SES(C) (3) All equipment shall be located at least 100 feet from any residential structure and the maximum height of any individual component will be 25 feet measured from the local ground level of the component. | 25 ft |
Fence heightLevel 3 SES(D) All Level 3 SES shall be screened with a seven-foot tall fence and, to the extent reasonably practicable, a visual buffer that provides reasonable screening to reduce the view of the SES from residential dwelling units on adjacent lots | 7 ft |
Source: McLean County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Kentucky state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Kentucky rules and counties.
State siting: Kentucky State Board on Electric Generation and Transmission Siting
A merchant plant of 10 MW or more needs a state construction certificate, on top of any local zoning.
KRS 278.700 to 278.718. Source
Solar standards in state law
Default setback for merchant solar of 10 MW or more that the Siting Board certifies; where the county or city has planning and zoning, its own setback, height and decommissioning rules replace these, and elsewhere the board may grant a deviation.
| Residential neighborhoods (5+ acres, 1+ home per acre) | 2,000 ft |
| Schools, hospitals, nursing homes | 2,000 ft |
| Decommissioning | Bond: present value of decommissioning cost, or the local bond amount |
KRS 278.704(2)-(4), 278.706(2)(m) (as amended by 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 152 and ch. 198). Source
Every Kentucky figure in one spreadsheet
92 figures from 15 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and Kentucky state law.
How these figures were read
We found McLean 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 McLean County, KY?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 25 ft (Level 3 SES) from property lines and 100 ft (Level 3 SES) from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in McLean County, KY?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft (Level 3 SES). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.