Howard County, Maryland solar ordinance
Solar: 50 ft from property lines, 20 ft maximum height, 10 acres minimum lot. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
3 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackb. All structures and uses must meet a minimum 50 foot setback from all property lines. | 50 ft |
Maximum heightc. No structure or use may be more than 20 feet in height. | 20 ft |
Minimum lot sizeThe maximum size of a solar facility shall be 75 acres notwithstanding the size of the parcel. However, on parcels proposed must be a minimum of 10 acres in size. | 10 acres |
Source: Howard County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 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 Howard 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 Howard County, MD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Howard County, MD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Howard County, MD?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 10 acres. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.