Solar & Battery Regulation & Incentive Programs

County Wind Ordinance Standards

Program Overview


Category:
Regulatory Policy
Program Type:
Solar/Wind Permitting Standards
Implementing Sector:
State
State:
California
Eligible Storage Technologies:
Wind (All), Wind (Small)
Applicable Sectors:
Commercial, Industrial, Local Government, Residential, Agricultural
Last Updated:
12/18/2020

Summary

Assembly Bill 45 of 2009 authorized counties to adopt ordinances to provide for the installation of small wind systems (50 kW or smaller) outside urbanized areas but within the county's jurisdiction. The bill also addressed specific aspects of a typical wind ordinance and established the limiting factors by which a county's wind ordinance can be no more restrictive. Counties may freely make more lenient ordinances, but this legislation was designed to establish maximum restrictions a county may impose if they choose to develop a small wind ordinance. These provisions apply only to county ordinances developed after January 1, 2011. Maximum restrictions in the following categories are specifically included in the legislation:

  • Public Notice
  • Tower Height
  • Setback
  • Noise Level
  • Visual Effects
  • Turbine Approval
  • Tower Drawings
  • Line Drawings
  • Engineering Analysis

Additionally, counties may impose conditions on other factors, which include, but are not limited to, view protection, aesthetics, aviation, and design safety requirements.


Authorities

NameEnacted DateEffective DateExpired Date
CA Government Code § 65893, et seq.10/11/200901/01/201001/01/2017