Hillsborough County - Solar and Wind Standards

The Land Development Code for Hillsborough County outlines the appropriate uses and guidelines for the operation of a solar energy production facility and a wind energy conversion system (WECS).

For a solar facility in an agricultural zone, the proposed lot size shall be a minimum of five (5) acres. There should be a setback of 50 feet from all boundaries of the site. The solar panels should be ground mounted and have a maximum height of 15 feet.

Ground-mounted facilities must be enclosed with a fence. On-site power lines and interconnections shall be placed underground. Facilities will be considered abandoned after a one-year period without energy production.

For a WECS the maximum structure height is 45 feet in a residential area, measured from the ground to the top of the fixed portion of the tower (this excludes the wind turbine). The maximum height is 120 feet in all other zoning districts. There are protections for certain species and birds that may restrict construction of a WECS. Noise can affect the installation of a WECS, if the system is too loud.