Craven County, NC Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Craven County's solar energy ordinance, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on July 6, 2021, requires approval before any development of a solar energy facility begins in the zoned areas of unincorporated Craven County. An owner or operator must submit three copies of a site plan to the Planning Board that shows setbacks, panel sizes, and the location of property lines, buildings, and road rights-of-way, along with payment in full of any fees set by the County's Schedule of Fees. The Planning Board checks the plan against the Article's standards and recommends that the Board of Commissioners approve, reject, or approve it with conditions; no new solar energy facility can operate until the Board of Commissioners has approved the site plan.

The approval requirement is not limited to brand-new arrays: modifying an existing solar energy facility so that it grows by more than 20 percent of its original footprint, or changing the type of solar panel installed, also triggers the same approval process. Before final inspection, the applicant must also show the County proof that the state has issued its own permit under the applicable general statutes, so the county sign-off works alongside, not instead of, state permitting. Facilities near Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point face an added layer: any site covered by the most recent AICUZ report must be sent to the base commander or a designated official, who gets 21 days to comment before the process can move forward.