Technology Definition
Solar Energy Facility: An energy generating facility or area principally used to convert solar energy to electricity, including, but not limited to, the use of one or more solar energy systems. Equipment includes electrical material, hardware, inverters, conduit, storage devices, footings, braces, stands, or any other equipment to any electric grid equipment associated with solar energy system operations. Excludes rooftop installations, where the primary purpose of the installation is not for commercial production of solar energy.
Ordinance Source URL(s)
N/A
Setbacks
100 feet from all property lines and public rights of way; 200 feet from the nearest residence, church, or school; and 500 feet from all public rights-of-way along a designated South Carolina Scenic Byway.
Screening
Facilities must be screened from adjacent public road rights-of-way, residences, churches, and schools with a vegetative buffer and a fence or wall, under the following requirements.
Fencing
Must be at least 6 feet in height, secuirng the perimeter and secure at all times
Buffer
A vegetative buffer must be installed adjacent to and along all sides of the solar facility and must be planted in two staggered rows at a spacing interval of 8 to 10 feet on center. The vegetation must reach a height of at least 6 feet within a three-year growing season, not less than 15 feet within a six-year growing season, and not less than 20 feet at maturity, or at least 2 feet higher than the tallest panel, whichever is greater. The vegetative buffer must also include low-lying vegetation to fill gaps between taller plantings.
Visual Restrictions
The facility must not produce direct or reflective light emissions that interfere with pilot vision, airport traffic control, vehicle traffic, or adjacent properties and roadways, and must not create a safety hazard. For facilities within five nautical miles of an airport listed in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, the applicant shall notify the airport manager and the FAA Airport District Office (ADO) of intent to construct, including the facility's location, technology, and system area, and allow 30 days for review. The applicant shall also run the latest Solar Glare Hazard Analysis Tool (SGHAT) and submit the full report, with Zoning Administrator contact information, to the same authorities at least 30 days prior to site plan approval, with proof of delivery submitted with the permit application. Any design changes affecting glare must be rerun through SGHAT, with an updated report submitted without delay, and the facility shall comply with all applicable FAA rules and regulations.
Decommissioning Plan
A decommissioning plan addressing the following items and signed by both the party responsible for decommissioning and the landowner (if different) shall be recorded in the Anderson County Register of Deeds prior to the issuance of a building permit. The decommissioning plan shall be reviewed by staff for compliance with the requirements below prior to any party signatures and recordation of the document. The plan shall: (a) list the type of panels, storage facilities, and materials to be installed at the site; (b) include a restoration plan to properly restore or stabilize the property for future use, as determined by the Zoning Administrator; (c) provide for removal of solar panels, buildings, cabling, electrical components, roads, and any other associated facilities; (d) define the conditions upon which decommissioning will be initiated (e.g., end of land lease, no power production for 12 months, abandonment, etc.); (e) specify the timeframe for completion of decommissioning activities, provided that the maximum time permitted for decommissioning and restoring the site shall be six months; (f) describe any agreement (e.g., lease) with the landowner regarding decommissioning, including acknowledgment by the landowner that he or she shall be held ultimately responsible for decommissioning and for the guarantees described in item (1) above; (g) identify the party currently responsible for decommissioning; (h) provide an estimated cost of site restoration, prepared by and stamped or sealed by an engineer licensed to practice in South Carolina; and (i) establish a plan for periodically updating the decommissioning plan.
Decommissioning Requirements
The removal and proper disposal of solar energy equipment, facilities, or devices located on real property utilized by or in a solar energy facility. This includes the reasonable restoration of the property upon which such solar energy equipment, facilities, or devices are located, including, but not limited to, soil stabilization and revegetation of the ground cover of the real property disturbed by the installation of such equipment, facilities, or devices. Should a solar energy facility cease to produce energy on a continuous basis for 12 months, it shall be considered abandoned unless the party currently responsible provides substantial evidence to the Planning Director or his/her designee of the intent to maintain and reinstate operation of the facility, with such evidence updated every three months following the initial 12-month period of no energy production. Upon a determination of abandonment, the Planning Director or his/her designee shall notify the responsible party that the solar energy facility must be removed and the property properly restored or stabilized for future use within six months of the notice. If the responsible party fails to comply within six months from the date of notice, the County may pursue all actions available at law or in equity, including, but not limited to, breach of contract, specific performance, mandatory injunctions, fines, abatement, nuisance, liens, assessments, and judicial sale of the property.
Decommissioning Financial Assurance
The performance guarantee and decommissioning plan requirements below are intended to ensure that costs associated with the restoration or stabilization of a site for future use are covered after a solar energy facility's use has been discontinued. The applicant and its successors and assigns shall be jointly and severally liable for all decommissioning obligations, which shall run with the land and shall survive termination of any agreement, cessation of operations, dissolution, bankruptcy, foreclosure, or transfer of the facility. Prior to issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall provide the County with a performance guarantee, in the form of a bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or other financial security acceptable to the County, in an amount equal to 125% of the estimated decommissioning cost, exclusive of any salvage value of the solar energy facility components, with cost estimates prepared by an engineer licensed to practice in South Carolina. All performance bonds shall renew automatically, shall provide the County a minimum of 90 days' notice prior to cancellation, shall be approved by the Planning Director or his/her designee, and shall be issued by a company appearing on the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Listing of Certified Companies. The County shall request a new engineer's estimate of the probable cost of decommissioning every five years from the date of initial submission, and the bond, letter of credit, or other financial security shall be adjusted upward or downward as necessary based on the updated estimate.
Planning and Applications
Plan review and hearing will be conducted in accordance with Code of Ordinances Section 24-140. Emergency Response Plan approved by the Fire Marshal must be submitted prior to any building permit or land disturbance permit being issued. The approved Emergency Response Plan must be distributed to all responding fire districts and emergency agencies before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Date of Last Revision
March 3, 2026
Date of Last Verification
July 6, 2026
Summary
Anderson County Council’s County Code regulates the siting, construction, and operation of solar energy facilities to support renewable energy development while protecting public health, safety, and neighboring properties. It sets standards for site plans, setbacks (100–500 feet depending on adjacent use), a 15-foot height limit, vegetative buffering and fencing, glare and lighting controls near roadways and airports, and code compliance — including fire and battery storage safety standards (IFC, NFPA 855) and a required Emergency Response Plan with first-responder training.
The ordinance also requires Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/airport notification and glare hazard analysis (SGHAT) for facilities near airports, a recorded decommissioning plan, and a performance bond equal to 125% of estimated decommissioning costs, reviewed every five years. Facilities are deemed abandoned after 12 months without energy production, triggering mandatory removal and restoration within six months of notice, with legal remedies available for noncompliance. Approved projects must be substantially completed within four years (with a possible 12-month extension), and standard review, enforcement, and severability provisions apply.
