Brunswick County, North Carolina solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 200 ft (Thoroughfare roads) from roads, 20 ft maximum height. Wind: 2.5 × height from property lines, 500 ft maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 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 |
|---|---|
Road setbackThoroughfare roads(a) Thoroughfare roads – 200 feet | 200 ft |
Setback from Institutional uses(c) Institutional uses – 100 feet | 100 ft |
Setback from Commercial districts or uses(d) Commercial districts or uses – 50 feet | 50 ft |
Setback from Industrial districts(e) Industrial districts – 25 feet | 25 ft |
Maximum height2. Height 20 feet maximum. | 20 ft |
Fence height(iii) Utilize security wildlife fencing as recommended by the N.C. Wildlife Commission; minimum seven feet in height with no barbed wire. | 7 ft |
Source: Brunswick County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 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 |
|---|---|
Property line setbackWind turbines must be setback from all property lines a distance equal to two and one-half (2.5) linear feet for every foot of height of the turbine. | 2.5 × height |
Maximum height2. Height Five hundred feet (500’) maximum. | 500 ft |
Noise limitmeasured at any occupied building of a Non-Participating Landowner(a) Audible sound from a Wind Turbine shall not exceed fifty-five (55) dBA, as measured at any occupied building of a Non-Participating Landowner. | 55 dBA |
Decommissioning bondof the entire cost(c) The applicant must provide to the County a form of surety equal to 125% of the entire cost, as estimated by the applicant and approved by the Director of Engineering Services | 125% |
Source: Brunswick County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
North Carolina state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All North Carolina rules and counties.
State siting: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources)
Wind of 1 MW or more needs a state DEQ permit on top of local zoning; solar is sited by counties and towns under their general zoning powers, with no state siting.
N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-215.115 to 143-215.126 (Article 21C). Source
Every North Carolina figure in one spreadsheet
177 figures from 35 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 5 of those places are not on this site. Plus the 3 moratoria and bans on file and North Carolina state law.
How these figures were read
We found Brunswick 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 Brunswick County, NC?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 200 ft (Thoroughfare roads) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Brunswick County, NC?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Brunswick County, NC?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 2.5 × height from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.