Goochland County, Virginia solar and battery storage ordinance
Solar: 100 ft from property lines, 150 ft from homes, 100 ft from roads. Battery storage: 100 ft from property lines, 100 ft from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 30, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar 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 setbackb. 100 feet from any other property or road; | 100 ft |
Setback from homesa. 150 feet from any property with an existing residence; | 150 ft |
Road setbackb. 100 feet from any other property or road; | 100 ft |
Setback from wetlands, rivers, streams, or other environmentally sensitive featurec. 100 feet from wetlands, rivers, streams, or other environmentally sensitive feature; | 100 ft |
Maximum heightExcluding transmission utility poles serving the siteExcluding transmission utility poles serving the site, no buildings, structures, solar panel arrays or other equipment utilized on the site shall exceed 20 feet in height. | 20 ft |
Fence heightMaximum height for fencing shall be eight (8) feet and include wildlife friendly design where appropriate. | 8 ft |
Noise limitnoise generated by the facility shall not exceed 60 dBA as measured at property line with any adjacent property not part of facility; | 60 dBA |
Source: Goochland County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Battery storage rules
2 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setback3. The facility must be located at least 100 feet away from roads and adjacent property lines. | 100 ft |
Road setback3. The facility must be located at least 100 feet away from roads and adjacent property lines. | 100 ft |
Source: Goochland County ordinance (PDF), read September 30, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Virginia state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Virginia rules and counties.
State siting: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; State Corporation Commission
Projects up to 150 MW can use a permit by rule from the Department of Environmental Quality. Larger ones may need a certificate from the State Corporation Commission. Local approval is also needed.
Va. Code Ann. 10.1-1197.5, 56-265.2 (DOE and Berkeley Lab inventory, June 2024). Source
Limits on local rules
For ground-mounted solar of 1 MW or more serving other property, counties must use a special exception or siting agreement whose setbacks, screening and height stay within state ranges; a county can still deny the application, and can depart from the ranges only by written agreement with the landowner and applicant.
Va. Code 15.2-2288.8(A) (2026 Acts cc. 1005, 1068). Source
Solar standards in state law
Applies to ground-mounted solar of 1 MW or more that serves other property; each county must write its special-exception rules within these ranges (picking any number inside a range), may still deny a project, and may agree looser terms in a siting agreement.
| Homes (non-participating) | 150 to 200 ft |
| Schools, churches, community buildings | 150 to 200 ft |
| Public roads | 50 to 100 ft from roadbed edge |
| Property line (non-participating) | 50 to 75 ft |
| Wetlands and perennial streams | 50 ft (25 MW or less), 100 ft (over 25 MW) |
| Wetlands and streams in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas | 100 to 125 ft |
| Panel height at full tilt | 25 ft |
| Screening buffer width | 25 to 50 ft wide; plants need not exceed 3 ft at planting |
| Vegetative ground cover | Up to 75% may be required |
| Decommissioning | Agreement plus financial assurance; estimate updated every 5 years |
Va. Code 15.2-2288.8(A) (2026 Acts cc. 1005, 1068); 15.2-2241.2. Source
Battery storage standards in state law
Batteries added inside the parcel of a solar project that already has a special exception are a permitted accessory use in every zoning district, with no further local land use approval, if storage capacity does not exceed the solar nameplate.
| Size allowed by right at an approved solar site | Up to 100% of solar nameplate |
Va. Code 15.2-2316.10 (2026 Acts cc. 1011, 1076). Source
Every Virginia figure in one spreadsheet
238 figures from 32 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 5 of those places are not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and Virginia state law.
How these figures were read
We found Goochland 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 Goochland County, VA?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 150 ft from homes, 100 ft from property lines and 100 ft from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Goochland County, VA?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (Excluding transmission utility poles serving the site). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the battery storage setbacks in Goochland County, VA?
The county's ordinance sets battery storage back 100 ft from roads and 100 ft from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.