Marshall County, South Dakota wind ordinance
Wind: 500 ft (whichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)) from property lines, 500 ft (whichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)) from roads, 50 dBA noise limit. 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 setbackwhichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)Distance from any property line shall be five hundred feet (500) or one hundred ten percent (110%) of the height of the wind turbine, whichever distance is greater . | 500 ft |
Setback from homesexisting off-site residences, business, churches, and buildings or structuresDistance from existing off - site residences, business, churches, and buildings or structures shall be at least one thousand (1,000) feet. | 1,000 ft |
Road setbackwhichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)Distance from centerline of public roads shall be five hundred feet (500) or one hundred ten percent (110%) of the height of the wind turbine, whichever distance is greater . | 500 ft |
Setback from incorporated municipality boundaryDistance from an incorporated municipality shall be at least five thousand two hundred and eighty (5,280) feet or 1 mile. | 5,280 ft |
Setback from homes, participating ownerwhichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)Distance from on - site or lessor’s residence shall be at least five hundred (500) feet or one hundred ten percent (110%) times the system height, whichever distance is greater. | 500 ft |
Noise limitNoise level shall not exceed 50 dBA, average A - weighted Sound pressure including constructive interference effects at the perimeter of the principal and accessory structures of existing off - site residences, businesses, and buildings. | 50 dBA |
Source: Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 1,000 ft (existing off-site residences, business, churches, and buildings or structures) from homes, 500 ft (whichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)) from roads and 500 ft (whichever distance is greater (compared to 110% of height)) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.