Floyd County, GA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Solar farm setback
- 50 ft from property line
- Solar farm security fence
- min 8 ft tall
- Solar array setback
- same as primary building setback
- Solar array security fence
- min 6 ft tall
- Panel finish
- non-reflective or anti-reflective treated
- Roof-mounted arrays
- side/rear only, away from right-of-way
Summary
Solar installations in unincorporated Floyd County are regulated as an accessory use under Section 4.2.17 of the Unified Land Development Code, not through a standalone solar permit chapter. Ground-mounted solar farms need a 50-foot property-line setback and an 8-foot security fence, while smaller solar arrays follow the same setback as the primary building and only need a 6-foot fence.
4.2.17. - SOLAR FARMS AND SOLAR PANEL ARRAYS Solar farms shall be setback from the property line a minimum of 50' in every zoning district where allowed by right or by special use permit. Solar farms shall be encircled by a security fence or wall a minimum of 8' feet tall. Screening vegetation shall be provided outside the security fence meeting the standards of Section 6.16.3. Solar arrays shall be setback from the property line the same distance as is required for a primary building/use in each zoning district where they are allowed. All panels shall be constructed of non-reflective materials, or shall be treated with an anti-reflective material. Solar installations shall be encircled by a security fence or wall a minimum of 6' tall. ... Solar Arrays mounted on a building or structure shall be on the side or rear of the property, facing away from a public right-of-way. Solar Installations shall be positioned and/or screened in such a way that glare does not affect adjacent properties.
Full Breakdown
17 treats solar development in two tiers with different standards. 3. A smaller solar array, the kind more typical of a residential or commercial rooftop or ground-mount installation, instead follows the same setback distance required for a primary building or use in its zoning district, a distance that can be shorter than the farm's flat 50 feet depending on the district. 3. The code repeats the setback rule a third time for solar installations generally and adds two placement conditions: a roof-mounted or structure-mounted array has to go on the side or rear of the building, facing away from any public right-of-way, and every solar installation has to be positioned or screened so glare does not affect neighboring properties.
None of these provisions describe a standalone application form or fee; a solar installation is reviewed through the same building-permit and site-plan process the Rome-Floyd County Building Inspections Department applies to any other accessory structure.
Violations & Fines
A solar farm or array built without the required property-line setback, without the security fencing at the correct height, or without the anti-reflective panel treatment and screening vegetation, is a violation of Section 4.2.17 the Rome-Floyd County Building Inspections Department can cite during permit review or on complaint, and can require correction, fencing added, or the installation relocated to meet the setback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for solar panels in unincorporated Floyd County?
How far back does a solar farm have to be from my property line?
Can I mount solar panels facing the street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Floyd County
Compare Floyd County to another location·View the Georgia solar energy overview
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