Allegany County, MD Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 360-111 governs solar energy systems accessory to residential use, permitted in every zoning district. Under § 360-111.C, a system exempt from permitting applies specifically when the solar panels are mounted on an existing building: no land use permit is required, but the installation must still comply with applicable building setbacks and building code requirements, so an electrical or building permit from the County's building program under Chapter 255 can still apply even without a zoning permit. A ground-mounted residential solar energy system does not get that exemption; § 360-111.D makes it a permitted use subject to the applicable setback and height requirements listed in §§ 360-126 and 360-127.

Freestanding solar panels, meaning ground-mounted arrays, are capped at 20 feet in height under § 360-111.E. Every residential system, roof-mounted or ground-mounted, must use glare-mitigating technology on all panels under § 360-111.A, and if the County determines the installation is a source of noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors, electrical interference or traffic inappropriate for the neighborhood, § 360-111.B requires the owner to prepare a mitigation plan. Nonresidential accessory systems follow a parallel but separate set of conditions at § 360-110, and freestanding, non-accessory solar as a primary land use is governed by § 360-109 with its own 30-foot minimum setback.