Davidson County, North Carolina solar and wind ordinance
Davidson County has a moratorium in force since December 16, 2024, running to December 16, 2026. It covers commercial solar farms (Class A special use permits). Solar: 25 ft (Solar power electric generation structures) maximum height, 5 acres (Solar Farm) minimum lot. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Moratorium
Commercial solar farms (Class A special use permits)
- Adopted
- December 16, 2024
- Runs to
- December 16, 2026
- Scope
- residential solar
- Checked
- September 29, 2026
It would halt the process of Class A Special Use Permits for solar farms and would give Staff enough time to research what needed to be done in the future.
Solar rules
2 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Maximum heightSolar power electric generation structuresB. Height – Solar power electric generation structures shall not exceed a height of 25 feet. | 25 ft |
Minimum lot sizeSolar FarmMinimum Lot Size : 5 acres | 5 acres |
Source: Davidson County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
1 figure read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Noise limitmeasured at any occupied building of a non-participating landownerB. Audible sound from a Wind Energy Facility shall not exceed fifty-five (55) dB, as measured at any occupied building of a non-participating landowner . | 55 dBA |
Source: Davidson County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 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 Davidson 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
Is there a solar moratorium in Davidson County, NC?
Davidson County has a moratorium in force since December 16, 2024, running to December 16, 2026. It covers commercial solar farms (Class A special use permits). Checked against the adopting document on September 29, 2026.
How tall can a solar farm be in Davidson County, NC?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft (Solar power electric generation structures). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Davidson County, NC?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 5 acres (Solar Farm). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.