Minnesota solar and wind ordinances by county
20 counties with figures quoted from their own ordinances. 1 of 2 moratoria and bans on file in force. Plus the state law that applies.
Updated October 2026
Counties
Solar figures as each county's ordinance states them. Open a county for wind and battery storage rules, conditions, and the sentence each figure comes from.
| County | Rules read | Property line | Homes | Max height | Min lot | Moratorium or ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chisago County | Solar, Wind | 75 ft | 275 ft | n/a | 5 acresCommercial Solar Energy Systems | None on file |
| Clay County | Solar, Wind | 100 ftsolar farms | 200 ftdwellings on properties adjacent to the solar energy system | 15 ftsolar farms | n/a | None on file |
| Crow Wing County | Solar, Wind, Battery storage | 50 ftLarge solar energy systems | 400 ftLarge solar energy systems, power conversion equipment | 15 ftGround- or pole-mounted solar energy systems | n/a | None on file |
| Dodge County | Solar, Wind | 50 ft | 200 ftsensitive receptors | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Faribault County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 200 ftLarge Solar Energy Systems | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Goodhue County | Solar, Wind | n/a | n/a | 20 ftground and pole-mounted systems | n/a | None on file |
| Houston County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Jackson County | Solar, Wind | 150 ftlarge solar farms | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Lac qui Parle County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 200 ftSolar Farm > 100 kW | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Le Sueur County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 750 ftLarge SES | 20 ftGround-mounted systems | n/a | None on file |
| Meeker County | Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Mille Lacs County | Solar, Wind | n/a | n/a | n/a | 10 acres | None on file |
| Morrison County | None | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | In force |
| Pine County | Solar, Wind | 50 ftfrom all non-right-of-way property lines | 275 ftfrom any dwelling | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Pipestone County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 150 ftLarge Solar Energy Systems | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Polk County | Solar, Wind | 100 ftSolar Farm | 300 ftSolar Farm, not associated with Solar Farm | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Renville County | Solar | 20 ftcommercial | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Sibley County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 150 ftground mounted solar energy system larger than .25 acres in area | 35 ftGround or pole-mounted solar energy systems | n/a | None on file |
| Traverse County | Solar, Battery storage | 300 ftnon-participating property lines | 1,000 ftnon-participating dwellings and occupied structures | 16 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Wadena County | Solar, Wind | 100 ftSolar Energy Farm | 300 ftSolar Energy Farm, residence not associated | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Watonwan County | Solar | n/a | 150 ftexisting dwelling unit | n/a | n/a | None on file |
Every Minnesota figure in one spreadsheet
158 figures from 30 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 10 of those places are not on this site. Plus the 2 moratoria and bans on file and Minnesota state law.
Moratoria and bans in Minnesota
County, town and township moratoria and bans, each checked against the adopting document.
| Place | Type | Covers | Status | Runs to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrison County | Moratorium | Community solar, solar farms and wind | In force | May 5, 2027 | DocumentChecked September 29, 2026 |
| City of Hugo, Washington County | Moratorium | Solar farms | Repealed | May 5, 2025 | DocumentChecked September 29, 2026 |
Minnesota state law
What state law says about local solar, wind and storage rules. Each statement links the law or official source it comes from.
State siting: Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
A state site permit is needed for solar of 50 MW or more, wind of 5 MW or more and storage of 10 MW or more; the developer may instead seek local approval for solar under 80 MW, wind under 25 MW and any storage.
Minn. Stat. 216I.02 subd. 6, 11, 17, 18; 216I.08; 216I.10 (2024 permitting reform). Source
Limits on local rules
A state site permit overrides county and town zoning for projects of 50 MW or more; no limit was found for smaller projects.
Minn. Stat. 216I.18. Source
Solar standards in state law
Statewide noise limits apply to every noise source, so they bind solar arrays whether the state or a county permits it; no statewide setback figures were found.
| Noise | 50 dBA L50 night, 60 dBA L50 day (residential) |
Minn. R. 7030.0040. Source
Wind standards in state law
Statewide noise limits apply to every noise source, so they bind wind turbines whether the state or a county permits it; no statewide setback figures were found.
| Noise | 50 dBA L50 night, 60 dBA L50 day (residential) |
Minn. R. 7030.0040. Source
Battery storage standards in state law
Statewide noise limits apply to every noise source, so they bind battery storage whether the state or a county permits it; no statewide setback figures were found.
| Noise | 50 dBA L50 night, 60 dBA L50 day (residential) |
Minn. R. 7030.0040. Source
Screen sites across Minnesota
Basepoint checks each parcel against these rules along with grid, land and environmental data, and keeps the source for every figure.