Wasco County, Oregon wind ordinance
Wind: 1.5 × height (non-project boundaries) from property lines, 3,520 ft (resource zones) from homes, 1.5 × height from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Wind rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbacknon-project boundariesWind turbines shall be set back from the property line of any abutting property not part of the project (non-project boundaries), the right-of-way of any dedicated road, and any above ground major utility facility line a minimum of 1.5 times the height of the wind turbine tower (i.e., fall-height). | 1.5 × height |
Setback from homesresource zonesFor owners of legally placed resource dwellings who are not participating landowners in the energy facility project, wind turbine setbacks shall be 3,520 feet, measured from the centerline of the turbine to the edge of the dwelling | 3,520 ft |
Road setbackWind turbines shall be set back from the property line of any abutting property not part of the project (non-project boundaries), the right-of-way of any dedicated road, and any above ground major utility facility line a minimum of 1.5 times the height of the wind turbine tower (i.e., fall-height). | 1.5 × height |
Setback from above ground major utility facility lineWind turbines shall be set back from the property line of any abutting property not part of the project (non-project boundaries), the right-of-way of any dedicated road, and any above ground major utility facility line a minimum of 1.5 times the height of the wind turbine tower (i.e., fall-height). | 1.5 × height |
Setback from above ground minor utility facility lineWind turbines shall be set back from any above ground minor utility facility line a minimum of 1.1 times the height of the wind turbine tower. | 1.1 × height |
Setback from downwind tower locationwind turbine 200 feet in height or taller on downwind propertyIf a wind turbine 200’ in height or taller has been previously placed on a downwind property that is not part of the project, the closest tower on the upwind property shall be set back a minimum of fifteen rotor diameters from the downwind tower location | 15 × rotor diameter |
Source: Wasco County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Oregon state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Oregon rules and counties.
State siting: Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council
A state site certificate is required for solar using more than 240 acres of high-value farmland, 2,560 acres of cultivated land or 3,840 acres of other land, and for wind of 300 MW nameplate (100 MW average) or more; smaller projects are permitted by the county, and standalone batteries may opt in to state review.
ORS 469.300(11)(a) and 469.320 (solar acreage per HB 3179 (2023); wind per HB 3874 (2025); standalone storage opt-in per HB 4015 (2024)). Source
Limits on local rules
Once the Siting Council issues a site certificate, it binds counties and cities, which must issue the permits it covers without further hearings.
ORS 469.401(3). Source
Wind standards in state law
Statewide DEQ noise rule for wind of any size, whether permitted by the state or the county: no more than 10 dBA over the ambient level, which may be assumed to be 26 dBA (L50), at noise-sensitive property unless the owner waives it.
| Noise | 10 dBA over ambient (ambient assumed 26 dBA L50) |
OAR 340-035-0035(1)(b)(B)(iii) (as amended by DEQ 17-2024, effective Oct 17, 2024). Source
Every Oregon figure in one spreadsheet
41 figures from 8 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus Oregon state law.
How these figures were read
We found Wasco 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 wind turbine setbacks in Wasco County, OR?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 1.5 × height (non-project boundaries) from property lines, 1.5 × height from roads and 3,520 ft (resource zones) from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.