Solar Energy Facility: a commercial electricity generating facility, the primary purpose of which iis to supply electricity. Includes solar thermal as well as photovoltaic.

Beaufort County, NC, regulates solar energy facilities as commercial electricity-generating operations. Solar facilities must be set back 100 feet from all property lines and rights-of-way, 25 feet from the interior fence line, and 300 feet from buildings. A six-foot fence with barbed wire is required for security. Visual screening must consist of a row of evergreen bushes, no taller than 8 feet initially, but capable of reaching 15 feet within three years. The solar facility cannot be taller than 15 ft. A detailed decommissioning plan is required, covering the facility’s lifespan, decommissioning triggers, equipment removal, site restoration, and cost estimates with a 25% contingency. Facilities inactive for over a year are deemed abandoned and must be removed. A financial surety equal to 125% of the decommissioning cost is required. Applications must include a site plan, and a public hearing is mandatory before permit approval. The ordinance encourages ground cover to reduce erosion, recommending native grasses and wildflowers. A 12-month moratorium was previously enacted in 2018, but no current moratorium is in place.