Madison County, Nebraska solar ordinance
Solar: 15 ft (side property lines) from property lines, 83 ft (from center of the road) from roads, 20 ft (average height of the solar panel arrays) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackside property linesSetbacks shall be applied as 83’ from center of the road, 15 ‘ side and 25’ rear property lines. | 15 ft |
Property line setbackrear property linesSetbacks shall be applied as 83’ from center of the road, 15 ‘ side and 25’ rear property lines. | 25 ft |
Road setbackfrom center of the roadSetbacks shall be applied as 83’ from center of the road, 15 ‘ side and 25’ rear property lines. | 83 ft |
Maximum heightaverage height of the solar panel arrays3. Height: The average height of the solar panel arrays shall not exceed 20 feet. | 20 ft |
Fence height7. Fencing: Due to the unique security requirements of this land use, and to facilitate the educational value of seeing this land use, fencing up to eight (8) feet in height is permitted | 8 ft |
Maximum lot coverageenclosed buildings1. Lot coverage: No more than five percent of the gross site area shall be occupied by enclosed buildings. | 5% |
Source: Madison County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Nebraska state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Nebraska rules and counties.
State siting: Nebraska Power Review Board
New generation needs Power Review Board approval, but privately developed renewable projects are exempt if they file a request with the board before building.
Neb. Rev. Stat. 70-1012, 70-1014.02 (DOE and Berkeley Lab inventory, June 2024). Source
Every Nebraska figure in one spreadsheet
189 figures from 23 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus the 8 moratoria and bans on file and Nebraska state law.
How these figures were read
We found Madison 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 Madison County, NE?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 83 ft (from center of the road) from roads, 15 ft (side property lines) from property lines and 25 ft (rear property lines) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Madison County, NE?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (average height of the solar panel arrays). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.