Sibley County, Minnesota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 35 ft (Ground or pole-mounted solar energy systems) maximum height. Wind: 750 ft (40kw or over) from homes, 300 ft (40kw or over) from roads, 50 dBA noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 8, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar 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 homesground mounted solar energy system larger than .25 acres in areaAny ground mounted solar energy system larger than .25 acres in area must be located at least 150 feet away from any dwelling, other than the project owner’s dwelling. | 150 ft |
Maximum heightGround or pole-mounted solar energy systemsGround or pole-mounted solar energy systems shall not exceed 35 feet in height when oriented at maximum tilt | 35 ft |
Maximum heightSuburban Residence District, ground or pole-mountedexcept that in the Suburban Residence District ground or pole-mounted solar energy systems shall not exceed 8 feet in height. | 8 ft |
Source: Sibley County ordinance (PDF), read October 8, 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 homes40kw or overResidence 750 feet | 750 ft |
Road setback40kw or overPublic Roads 300 feet | 300 ft |
Noise limitThese rules establish the maximum night and daytime noise levels that effectively limit wind turbine noise to 50 dB (A) at closest residence. | 50 dBA |
Source: Sibley County ordinance (PDF), read October 8, 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 Sibley 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 Sibley County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft (ground mounted solar energy system larger than .25 acres in area) from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Sibley County, MN?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 35 ft (Ground or pole-mounted solar energy systems) and 8 ft (Suburban Residence District, ground or pole-mounted). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Sibley County, MN?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 750 ft (40kw or over) from homes and 300 ft (40kw or over) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.