Crow Wing County, Minnesota solar, wind and battery storage ordinance
Solar: 50 ft (Large solar energy systems) from property lines, 400 ft (Large solar energy systems, power conversion equipment) from homes, 100 ft (Large solar energy systems) from roads. Wind: 199 ft (All WECS) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 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 setbackLarge solar energy systems• 50 feet from all other property lines | 50 ft |
Setback from homesLarge solar energy systems, power conversion equipment• For power conversion equipment: 400 feet from a residential dwelling that is occupied or suitable for being occupied | 400 ft |
Road setbackLarge solar energy systems• 100 feet from the right of way of all roads | 100 ft |
Maximum heightGround- or pole-mounted solar energy systemsGround - or pole - mounted solar energy systems shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height when oriented at maximum tilt | 15 ft |
Source: Crow Wing County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
1 figure read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Maximum heightAll WECSWECS shall not exceed 199 feet in height | 199 ft |
Source: Crow Wing County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Battery storage 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 setbackBESS exceeding 100kW, storage technology prone to fire or explosiond. Property lines. Three hundred and thirty (330 ) feet from all other property lines if the storage technology used in the BESS is prone to catching fire or creating conditions for explosion | 330 ft |
Property line setbackBESS exceeding 100kW, other storage technologiesFor other storage technologies, the minimum setback shall be no less than one hundred fifty (150) feet. | 150 ft |
Setback from homesBESS exceeding 100kWa. Dwellings : F ive hundred (500 ) feet from dwellings, unless the dwelling owner waives the setback. | 500 ft |
Road setbackBESS exceeding 100kW, public road rights-of-wayc. Right of way. One hundred ( 100 ) feet from all public road rights - of - way. | 100 ft |
Road setbackBESS exceeding 100kW, where no established right-of-way existsIf there is no established right - of - way the setback shall be one hundred fifty ( 150 ) feet from the centerline of the traveled road surface. | 150 ft |
Setback from centerline of all stream corridors and open ditches containing ephemeral flowBESS exceeding 100kWb. Streams/Ditches. T wo hundred (200) feet from the centerline of all stream corridors and open ditches containing ephemeral flow throughout the majority of the growing season. | 200 ft |
Setback from city limits of any incorporated cityBESS exceeding 100kWf. Cities. T wo (2) miles from the city limits of any incorporated city within the County | 2 miles |
Source: Crow Wing County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Minnesota state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Minnesota rules and counties.
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
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.
How these figures were read
We found Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 100 ft (Large solar energy systems) from roads, 50 ft (Large solar energy systems) from property lines and 400 ft (Large solar energy systems, power conversion equipment) from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Crow Wing County, MN?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 15 ft (Ground- or pole-mounted solar energy systems). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the battery storage setbacks in Crow Wing County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets battery storage back 500 ft (BESS exceeding 100kW) from homes, 100 ft (BESS exceeding 100kW, public road rights-of-way) from roads, 150 ft (BESS exceeding 100kW, where no established right-of-way exists) from roads, 330 ft (BESS exceeding 100kW, storage technology prone to fire or explosion) from property lines and 150 ft (BESS exceeding 100kW, other storage technologies) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.