Doral, FL Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 74-66 of the Doral Code of Ordinances treats solar collector panels, along with wind turbines and clotheslines, as noncommercial renewable energy devices permitted as an accessory use in all zoning districts, provided the installation meets the city's site development, zoning district and landscape standards. Before mounting a system, the property owner must obtain all necessary permits and comply with applicable building, fire and life safety codes under item (7) of the section. Roof-mounted panels are capped by item (11): a panel cannot project above the ridge of a sloped roof, and on a flat roof it cannot extend more than five feet above the deck or parapet, with no part of the array reaching past the roof edge.

All mounting hardware, wiring and connections have to be screened from view. Ground-mounted systems fall under item (13): they must otherwise meet the site development criteria of the zoning district, but the planning and zoning director may approve encroachment into a side setback of up to 50 percent, and into the rear setback to within five feet of the property line, when necessary for the installation. The section also bars signage or advertising on any device (item 5), prohibits lighting except where required by the FAA or another agency with jurisdiction (item 12), and requires installations to avoid glare onto neighboring properties and roadways (item 3).

Wind turbines carried under the same section face an 18-foot height cap and a five-percent roof-coverage limit, though those numbers do not apply to solar panels themselves. A waiver from any requirement of Section 74-66 is available under item (16) where strict application would prohibit a renewable energy device's operation or functionality, including for emerging technologies.