Caroline County, Maryland solar ordinance
Solar: 100 ft from property lines, 150 ft from homes, 15 ft maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 8, 2026.
Updated October 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 setback100 feet between the solar energy generating station and all property lines | 100 ft |
Setback from homes150 feet between the solar energy generating station and the nearest wall of a residential dwelling | 150 ft |
Maximum heightA proposed solar energy generating station and any accessory structures associated with the station shall be no more than 15 feet in height. | 15 ft |
Maximum project sizePriority Preservation Areabe limited in area to 5% of the total acreage of the Priority Preservation Area | 5% |
Source: Caroline County ordinance (PDF), read October 8, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Maryland state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Maryland rules and counties.
State siting: Maryland Public Service Commission
Solar over 2 MW needs a Public Service Commission certificate or approval before construction.
Public Utilities Article 7-207, 7-207.1, 7-207.4, 7-218. Source
Limits on local rules
Counties and towns cannot ban solar of more than 1 MW or deny a site plan that meets the state standards, with some exceptions.
Public Utilities Article 7-218(h) (Renewable Energy Certainty Act, Ch. 624 of 2025). Source
Solar standards in state law
Applies to ground-mounted solar over 1 MW (AC) that sells wholesale, is community solar or is aggregate net metered; the owner must meet these figures, and a county or town may not ban such solar or deny a site plan that meets them. A siting agreement with the county may set looser terms; agrivoltaics are exempt from the figures.
| Homes (non-participating) | 150 ft |
| Property line (non-participating) | 100 ft |
| Fence height | 20 ft max, no barbed wire |
| Public roads | 50 ft (fence from road right-of-way) |
| Panel height (average) | 15 ft average |
| Screening buffer width | 35 ft max |
| Berms | County may not require |
| Decommissioning | Bond up to 125% of cost, with the PSC |
Md. Code, Public Utilities 7-218(b), (f), (g), (h) (Renewable Energy Certainty Act, Ch. 623 of 2025). Source
Every Maryland figure in one spreadsheet
79 figures from 11 counties and 1 town or township, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus Maryland state law.
How these figures were read
We found Caroline 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 Caroline County, MD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft from homes and 100 ft from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Caroline County, MD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 15 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.