Onslow County, North Carolina solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 15 ft (side lot lines) from property lines, 100 ft from homes, 30 ft from roads. Wind: 45 dBA noise limit. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
5 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackside lot linesfifteen (15) feet from side lot lines | 15 ft |
Property line setbackrear property linestwenty-five (25) feet from rear property lines. | 25 ft |
Setback from homesGround-mounted equipment must be set back one hundred (100) feet from any residential dwelling unit in existence at the time the application was submitted. | 100 ft |
Road setbackGround mounted equipment must be setback thirty (30) feet from all public and private streets rights-of-way | 30 ft |
Maximum heightThe height of the system as measured from the highest natural grade below each solar panel may not exceed twenty (20) feet. | 20 ft |
Source: Onslow County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 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 setbackUtility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height4 feet for each foot in height for structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height | 4 × height |
Setback from homesUtility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height4 feet for each foot in height for structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height | 4 × height |
Road setbackUtility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height4 feet for each foot in height for structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height | 4 × height |
Noise limitNo Large System or Utility-scale wind energy facility or any generators, equipment, or apparatus shall produce noise above forty-five (45) decibels for more than five (5) consecutive minutes | 45 dBA |
Source: Onslow 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 Onslow 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 Onslow County, NC?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 30 ft from roads, 15 ft (side lot lines) from property lines, 25 ft (rear property lines) from property lines and 100 ft from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Onslow 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 Onslow County, NC?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 4 × height (Utility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height) from property lines, 4 × height (Utility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height) from homes and 4 × height (Utility-Scale structures between 330 feet and 550 feet in height) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.