Shiawassee County, Michigan solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 330 ft (from a Non-Participating Parcel property line) from property lines, 200 ft from roads, 16 ft maximum height. Wind: 450 ft maximum height, 40 dBA noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 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 setbackfrom a Non-Participating Parcel property lineAll Commercial SES shall maintain a setback from a Non-Participating Parcel property line three hundred and thirty (330) feet | 330 ft |
Road setbackAll Commercial SES must be setback a distance equal to or greater than two (200) feet from a public road right-of-way | 200 ft |
Setback from another development areaThe development area of a Commercial WECS or Commercial SES that does not exceed the above area requirement shall not be closer than one and a half (1.5) miles from another development area | 1.5 miles |
Maximum heightc. Commercial SES structures associated with such facilities shall be restricted to a maximum height of sixteen (16) feet when oriented at maximum tilt. | 16 ft |
Maximum project sizea. A Commercial SES petitioned for site plan approval shall not have a development area in excess of one hundred twenty (120) acres. | 120 acres |
Noise limitThe noise generated from a Commercial WECS or SES shall not exceed forty (40) dB(A) LAMax | 40 dBA |
Decommissioning bondThe Decommissioning Guarantee amount shall be one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the estimated removal and restoration cost | 150% |
Source: Shiawassee County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
5 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from another development areaThe development area of a Commercial WECS or Commercial SES that does not exceed the above area requirement shall not be closer than one and a half (1.5) miles from another development area | 1.5 miles |
Maximum heighta. Commercial WECS shall not exceed four hundred and fifty (450) feet in height. | 450 ft |
Maximum project sizeb. A Commercial WECS petitioned for site plan approval shall not have a development area acreage in excess of one hundred twenty (120) acres. | 120 acres |
Noise limitThe noise generated from a Commercial WECS or SES shall not exceed forty (40) dB(A) LAMax | 40 dBA |
Decommissioning bondThe Decommissioning Guarantee amount shall be one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the estimated removal and restoration cost | 150% |
Source: Shiawassee County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Michigan state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Michigan rules and counties.
State siting: Michigan Public Service Commission
Solar of 50 MW or more, wind of 100 MW or more, and storage of 50 MW and 200 MWh or more can be certified by the state commission instead of the local government, unless every affected local unit has a compatible ordinance.
MCL 460.1222(1) (Public Act 233 of 2023). Source
Limits on local rules
To keep control of projects of 50 MW or more, a local ordinance can be no stricter than the state's setback, fencing, height and sound limits.
Public Act 233 of 2023, section 226(8). Source
Solar standards in state law
Binds solar projects of 50 MW or more that the PSC certifies, and caps any local ordinance that wants to keep siting those projects locally (a compatible ordinance can be no stricter).
| Homes (non-participating) | 300 ft |
| Public roads | 50 ft |
| Property line (non-participating) | 50 ft |
| Panel height at full tilt | 25 ft |
| Noise | 55 dBA (hourly average, at nearest non-participating dwelling) |
| Fencing | National Electrical Code |
MCL 460.1226(8)(a) (Public Act 233 of 2023). Source
Wind standards in state law
Binds wind projects of 100 MW or more that the PSC certifies, and caps any local ordinance that wants to keep siting those projects locally.
| Homes (non-participating) | 2.1 × tip height |
| Property line (non-participating) | 1.1 × tip height |
| Public roads | 1.1 × tip height (to road centerline) |
| Tip height | FAA no-hazard limit |
| Shadow flicker | 30 hours/year |
| Noise | 55 dBA (hourly average, at nearest non-participating dwelling) |
MCL 460.1226(8)(b) (Public Act 233 of 2023). Source
Every Michigan figure in one spreadsheet
873 figures from 12 counties and 108 towns and townships, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 108 of those places are not on this site. Plus the 4 moratoria and bans on file and Michigan state law.
How these figures were read
We found Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County, MI?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 330 ft (from a Non-Participating Parcel property line) from property lines and 200 ft from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Shiawassee County, MI?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 16 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.