McPherson County, South Dakota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 1,320 ft (SES) from property lines, 5,280 ft (SES) from homes, 1,320 ft (SES) from roads. Wind: 1,000 ft (WES facilities, whichever is greater) from property lines, 5,280 ft (WES facilities) from homes, 1,000 ft (WES facilities, whichever is greater) from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar 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 setbackSESand one thousand three hundred twenty feet (1,320) feet from property lines of non SES project parcels and rights - of - way. | 1,320 ft |
Setback from homesSESSolar panels shall be kept at least five thousand two hundred eighty feet (5,280) from an occupied dwelling | 5,280 ft |
Road setbackSESand one thousand three hundred twenty feet (1,320) feet from property lines of non SES project parcels and rights - of - way. | 1,320 ft |
Setback from highwater mark of any lake, stream or riverSESEvery 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 arraysSolar panel arrays shall be no more than fifteen (15) feet in height, not including power lines. | 15 ft |
Fence heightSESAll SES shall be fenced around the exterior of the SES with a fence at least six (6) feet in height. | 6 ft |
Source: McPherson County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind 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 setbackWES facilities, whichever is greaterDistance from any property line shall be one thousand (1000) feet or one hundred ten percent (110%) of the height of the wind turbine, whichever distance is greater. | 1,000 ft |
Setback from homesWES facilitiesDistance from existing off - site occupied dwelling, business, and churches shall be at least five thousand two hundred eighty feet (5,280'). | 5,280 ft |
Road setbackWES facilities, whichever is greaterDistance from centerline of public roads, not including unimproved section lines, shall be one thousand (1000) feet or one hundred ten percent (110%) of the height of the wind turbine, whichever distance is greater. | 1,000 ft |
Setback from incorporated municipalityWES facilitiesDistance from an incorporated municipality shall be at least five thousand two hundred and eighty (5,280) feet or 1 mile from the incorporated municipalities jurisdictional boundary. | 5,280 ft |
Setback from homes, participating ownerWES facilitiesDistance from on - site or lessor’s occupied dwelling and other structures shall be at least six hundred (600) feet. | 600 ft |
Source: McPherson 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 McPherson 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 McPherson County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 5,280 ft (SES) from homes, 1,320 ft (SES) from property lines and 1,320 ft (SES) from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in McPherson County, SD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 15 ft (Solar panel arrays). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in McPherson County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 5,280 ft (WES facilities) from homes, 1,000 ft (WES facilities, whichever is greater) from roads and 1,000 ft (WES facilities, whichever is greater) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.