Goodhue County, Minnesota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 20 ft (ground and pole-mounted systems) maximum height. Wind: 40 dBA (night time noise) noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
1 figure read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Maximum heightground and pole-mounted systemsGround and pole-mounted systems shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in height when oriented at maximum design tilt. | 20 ft |
Source: Goodhue County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
4 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from railroad, power lines, etc.commercial WECSTHE LESSER OF 1.1 TIMES THE TOTAL HEIGHT OR THE DISTANCE OF THE FALL ZONE, AS CERTIFIED BY A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER PLUS 10 FEET. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from top of bluff (Mississippi River and Cannon River)commercial WECS1350 FEET FROM TOP OF BLUFF (MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND CANNON RIVER), 500 FEET FROM TOP OF BLUFF FROM OTHER BLUFFS IN SHORELAND AREAS OR FOR NON-SHORELAND BLUFFS. | 1,350 ft |
Setback from top of bluff (from other bluffs)commercial WECS1350 FEET FROM TOP OF BLUFF (MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND CANNON RIVER), 500 FEET FROM TOP OF BLUFF FROM OTHER BLUFFS IN SHORELAND AREAS OR FOR NON-SHORELAND BLUFFS. | 500 ft |
Noise limitnight time noiseThe County may negotiate with applicants to limit night time noise to a limit of an annual average of 40 decibels (dBA) | 40 dBA |
Source: Goodhue County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 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
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 Goodhue 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
How tall can a solar farm be in Goodhue County, MN?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (ground and pole-mounted systems). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.