Queen Anne's County, Maryland solar ordinance
Solar: 150 ft from homes, 50 ft from roads, 15 ft maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
7 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbacknot including property lines that bisect the interior of a project area(b) 100 feet between the solar energy generating station and all property lines, not including property lines that bisect the interior of a project area; | 100 ft |
Setback from homes(a) 150 feet between the solar energy generating station and the nearest wall of a residential dwelling; | 150 ft |
Road setback(c) Shall not be less than 50 feet away from the edge of any public road right – of – way; | 50 ft |
Maximum height(2) A 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 sizewithin the Priority Preservation Areaestablishing a 5% limitation of the siting of solar energy generating stations within the County ’ s Priority Preservation Area | 5% |
Maximum project sizenot within Tier 1 or Tier 2 Growth AreasSolar energy generating stations with a generating capacity of more than 5 megawatts shall not be sited within Tier 1 or Tier 2 Growth Areas | 5 MW |
Decommissioning bond(b) S hall post a surety bond with the Public Service Commission for 125% of the estimated future cost of decommissioning the solar energy generating station and its related infrastructure, less any salvage value; | 125% |
Source: Queen Anne's County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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 Queen Anne's 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 Queen Anne's County, MD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft from homes, 100 ft (not including property lines that bisect the interior of a project area) from property lines and 50 ft from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Queen Anne's County, MD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 15 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.