Brunswick County

FIPS CODE

37019

STATE

North Carolina

WEBSITE

https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/

ZONING ORDINANCE

Brunswick County

Ordinance Source URL(s)

https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5460/UDO-Revised-and-Readopted---March-2015-Revision--19Aug24?bidId=

Applicable Technologies

Technology Definition

N/A

Ordinance Source URL(s)

https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5460/UDO-Revised-and-Readopted---March-2015-Revision--19Aug24?bidId=

Setbacks

200 feet from thoroughfare roads, 100 feet from residential district or uses, 100 feet from institutional uses, 50 feet from commercial districts or uses, 25 feet from industrial districts, 500 feet from scenic byways.

Screening

Required Opacity 1.0 for street yard; Required Opacity 0.6 for all other yard screening

Fencing

7 feet with no barbed wire

Buffer

When possible, existing vegetation should be utilized, and native evergreen shrubs and trees should be used.

Height Restrictions

20 ft

Visual Restrictions

N/A

Noise Restrictions

N/A

Decommissioning Plan

Decommissioning plan required; must include plan for removal of all components, re-seeding, description of any agreement with landowner and acknowledgement of responsibility by landowner, identity of party currently responsible for decommissioning, and estimated cost of removal.

Decommissioning Requirements

Must be decommissioned within 12 months if no electricity generated for 12 months.

Decommissioning Financial Assurance

N/A

Planning and Applications

N/A

Moratorium

Moratorium Expiration

N/A

Community Engagement

N/A

Date of Last Revision

August 19, 2024

Date of Last Verification

August 21, 2025

Summary

Brunswick County, NC, regulates solar energy facilities through its Unified Development Ordinance. Solar facilities must adhere to specific setbacks: 200 feet from thoroughfare roads, 100 feet from residential and institutional uses, 50 feet from commercial uses, 25 feet from industrial districts, and 500 feet from scenic byways. Solar facilities require 7-foot fences without barbed wire. Height limits are set at 20 feet for solar arrays. A detailed decommissioning plan is required, including cost estimates, landowner agreements, and site restoration. Facilities must be decommissioned within 12 months of inactivity. The county encourages environmentally friendly vegetation management for solar farms.