Franklin County, North Carolina solar ordinance
Solar: 25 ft (Solar Energy Farms) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 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 |
|---|---|
Maximum heightSolar Energy Farmsa. Structures shall not exceed 25 ’ in height, as measured from finished grade at the base of the structure to its highest point. | 25 ft |
Fence heightSolar Energy Farmsc. Solar farm facilities shall be enclosed by a 6’ high chain link fence. | 6 ft |
Decommissioning bondSolar Energy FarmsThe guarantee shall be in an amount equal to 125% of the cost to remove all material and return the site to its original condition . | 125% |
Source: Franklin County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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 Franklin 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
How tall can a solar farm be in Franklin County, NC?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft (Solar Energy Farms). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.