Richmond County, North Carolina solar ordinance
Solar: 50 ft (abutting residential property) from property lines, 65 ft (public rights-of-way) from roads, 20 ft (measured from highest natural grade below each solar panel) maximum height. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar 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 setbackabutting residential propertyA minimum building setback of fifty (50) feet, where abutting residential property and sixty five ( 65) feet from public rights-of-way is required for ground-mounted systems. | 50 ft |
Road setbackpublic rights-of-wayA minimum building setback of fifty (50) feet, where abutting residential property and sixty five ( 65) feet from public rights-of-way is required for ground-mounted systems. | 65 ft |
Maximum heightmeasured from highest natural grade below each solar panelMaximum twenty foot height of system-measured from highest natural grade below each solar panel. | 20 ft |
Minimum lot sizeMinimum acreage to erect a ground mounted system is 10 acres | 10 acres |
Source: Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County, NC?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 50 ft (abutting residential property) from property lines and 65 ft (public rights-of-way) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Richmond County, NC?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (measured from highest natural grade below each solar panel). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Richmond County, NC?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 10 acres. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.