Washington Parish, Louisiana solar ordinance
Solar: 500 ft from homes, 100 ft from roads, 16 ft (rotating panels) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
11 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackadjoining immovable property boundary is wooded with no residenceunless the adjoining immovable property boundary is wooded with no residence on the immovable property, in which case the setback shall be no less than fifty (50) feet. | 50 ft |
Property line setbackInverters, transformers and mechanical equipmentInverters, transformers and mechanical equipment shall be set back a minimum of one hundred (100) feet from adjacent immovable property boundaries even if the adjacent boundary is wooded. | 100 ft |
Setback from homesIf an adjoining section of immovable property has an existing occupied residence or formal place of worship (e.g., Church, Synagogue, Mosque, etc.) all photovoltaic solar panels and support structures, including inverters, transformers and mechanical equipment, associated with a Facility shall be setback a minimum of five hundred (500) feet from the occupied residence or formal place of worship. | 500 ft |
Road setbackAll photovoltaic solar panels and support structures associated with a Facility (excluding perimeter security fencing) shall be setback a minimum of one hundred (100) feet from public roads | 100 ft |
Setback from formal place of worshipIf an adjoining section of immovable property has an existing occupied residence or formal place of worship (e.g., Church, Synagogue, Mosque, etc.) all photovoltaic solar panels and support structures, including inverters, transformers and mechanical equipment, associated with a Facility shall be setback a minimum of five hundred (500) feet from the occupied residence or formal place of worship. | 500 ft |
Maximum heightrotating panelsAll photovoltaic panels located in a Facility with rotating panels shall be restricted to a maximum height of the torque tube to sixteen (16) feet measured from the ground to the top of the torque tube. | 16 ft |
Maximum heightnon-rotating (fixed) panelsFacilities that have non-rotating (fixed) photovoltaic panels shall be limited to a maximum photo voltaic panel height of eighteen (18) feet measured from the ground to the top of the photovoltaic panel. | 18 ft |
Maximum heightlight polesAll lighting must be shielded from nonparticipating landowners’ adjoining immovable property and light poles are restricted to a maximum height of eighteen (18) feet. | 18 ft |
Fence heightA minimum eight (8) foot security fence (height and material to be established through the USSPF Permit process) shall be placed around the entire perimeter of the Facility | 8 ft |
Minimum lot sizeMinimum Lot Size : A Facility shall not be constructed on aggregate parcels of immovable property that are less than twenty (20) contiguous acres in size. | 20 acres |
Noise limitThe USSPF shall not exceed fifty (50) A-weighted decibels (“dBA”) or five (5) dBA over existing ambient levels, whichever is greater | 50 dBA |
Source: Washington Parish ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Louisiana state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Louisiana rules and counties.
State siting: Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy (formerly Department of Energy and Natural Resources)
Threshold is in acres, not MW: a solar facility of 75 acres or more needs a state permit, on top of parish rules.
La. R.S. 30:1142 to 30:1145 (Act 279 of 2025). Source
Every Louisiana figure in one spreadsheet
59 figures from 8 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 Louisiana state law.
How these figures were read
We found Washington Parish'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 Washington Parish, LA?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 100 ft from roads, 50 ft (adjoining immovable property boundary is wooded with no residence) from property lines, 100 ft (Inverters, transformers and mechanical equipment) 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 Washington Parish, LA?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 16 ft (rotating panels), 18 ft (non-rotating (fixed) panels) and 18 ft (light poles). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Washington Parish, LA?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 20 acres. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.