Brown County, South Dakota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 30 ft (rear and side yard setback) from property lines, 500 ft (solar energy systems from residence) from homes, 25 ft maximum height. Wind: 500 ft (LWECS property line, whichever is greater) from property lines, 2,640 ft (occupied structures) from homes. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 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 setbackrear and side yard setbackEvery SES shall observe a minimum rear and side yard setback of thirty (30) feet. | 30 ft |
Setback from homessolar energy systems from residenceSolar panels will be kept at least five hundred (500) feet from a residence. | 500 ft |
Setback from highwater mark of any lake, stream, or riverEvery SES shall be setback at least one hundred (100) feet from the highwater mark of any lake, stream, or river. | 100 ft |
Maximum heightSolar panel arrays shall be no more than twenty-five (25) feet in height | 25 ft |
Fence heightAll SES shall be fenced around the exterior of the SES with a fence at least six (6) feet in height. | 6 ft |
Source: Brown County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
7 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackLWECS property line, whichever is greaterDistance from property line shall be five hundred (500) feet or one point one (1.1) times the system height depending upon which is greater | 500 ft |
Setback from homesoccupied structuresDistance from the centerline of any Wind Turbine to any Occupied Structure shall not be less than one-half mile (2,640’). | 2,640 ft |
Setback from homesLWECS from residence/school/hospital/church/library, whichever is greaterEach wind turbine and meteorological tower shall be set back from the nearest off-site residence, school, hospital, church or public library, a distance no less than the greater of (a) one point one (1.1) times its total height or (b) one thousand (1,000) feet. | 1,000 ft |
Setback from residential property line in an unincorporated municipality or incorporated municipality boundary linemunicipalitiesDistance from the center Line of any Wind Turbine to any residential property line in an unincorporated municipality or from any incorporated municipality boundary line shall be a minimum of two (2) miles. | 2 miles |
Setback from homes, participating ownerLWECS from participating landowner residence, whichever is greaterDistance from the residence of the landowner on whose property the tower(s) are erected shall be not less than five hundred (500) feet or one point one (1.1) times the system height, whichever is greater. | 500 ft |
Noise limitnon-participating residences, municipalities, unincorporated cities, or lakefront residentialNoise level for non-participating residences, municipalities, unincorporated cities, or lakefront residential shall not exceed 45 DBA | 45 dBA |
Noise limitLWECS at dwelling/school/hospital/church/libraryAudible noise due to LWECS sites operations shall not exceed fifty-five (55) dBA for any period of time, when measured at any dwelling, school, hospital, church or public library | 55 dBA |
Source: Brown County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
South Dakota state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All South Dakota rules and counties.
State siting: South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Wind and solar projects of 100 MW or more (solar measured AC) need a PUC facility permit, decided within nine months; smaller projects are permitted by the county alone.
SDCL 49-41B-2(13), (16) and 49-41B-4 (definitions amended by SL 2025, ch 193). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies statewide to every large wind turbine (tower 75 ft or taller), whatever its size or permitting authority; an adjacent owner can agree in writing to a shorter distance.
| Property line | 500 ft or 1.1 × tower height, whichever is greater (neighbor may waive) |
SDCL 43-13-21 to 43-13-24 (SL 2009, ch 221). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies to wind facilities the PUC permits (100 MW and up) after July 1, 2019: obstruction lights must be radar-activated.
| Aviation lighting | Aircraft detection lighting system required |
SDCL 49-41B-25.2 (SL 2019, ch 201). Source
Every South Dakota figure in one spreadsheet
123 figures from 19 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 4 of those places are not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and South Dakota state law.
How these figures were read
We found Brown 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 Brown County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 500 ft (solar energy systems from residence) from homes and 30 ft (rear and side yard setback) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Brown County, SD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Brown County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 2,640 ft (occupied structures) from homes, 1,000 ft (LWECS from residence/school/hospital/church/library, whichever is greater) from homes and 500 ft (LWECS property line, whichever is greater) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.