Pine County, Minnesota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 50 ft (from all non-right-of-way property lines) from property lines, 275 ft (from any dwelling) from homes, 100 ft (from centerline) from roads. Wind: 380 ft (commercial WECS) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 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 setbackfrom all non-right-of-way property linesThe required setback from neighboring property lines for all project elements including structures, panels, racking systems, but excluding security enclosure, is 50 feet from all non-right-of-way property lines or 275 feet from any dwelling whichever is greater. | 50 ft |
Setback from homesfrom any dwellingThe required setback from neighboring property lines for all project elements including structures, panels, racking systems, but excluding security enclosure, is 50 feet from all non-right-of-way property lines or 275 feet from any dwelling whichever is greater. | 275 ft |
Road setbackfrom centerlineThe minimum setback from public roads shall be 100 feet from centerline. | 100 ft |
Decommissioning bondPrior to project commencement, the permittee shall post financial surety in an amount equal to or greater than 125 percent of the engineer’s estimated cost, to ensure proper decommissioning. | 125% |
Source: Pine County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
3 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesfrom any existing residence other than a residence occupied by the applicantWECS shall be set back at least 750 feet from any existing residence other than a residence occupied by the applicant. | 750 ft |
Maximum heightcommercial WECSA commercial WECS shall not exceed 380 feet in height as measured from the ground to the highest point of the tower, rotor, or blade. | 380 ft |
Decommissioning bondThe owner/operator shall provide a current-day decommissioning cost estimate, and shall post a bond, letter of credit, or establish an escrow account, equivalent to 125 percent the decommissioning cost estimate. | 125% |
Source: Pine County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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 Pine 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 Pine County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft (from all non-right-of-way property lines) from property lines, 275 ft (from any dwelling) from homes and 100 ft (from centerline) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Pine County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 750 ft (from any existing residence other than a residence occupied by the applicant) from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.