Roanoke County, VA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Section 30-100-13 permits solar energy systems in any zoning district upon receipt of the necessary permit or permits from the county. The stated purpose is to promote safe, effective and efficient use of solar to reduce on-site utility energy or hot water consumption while protecting neighboring land uses. General standards under (B)1 require the system's design to conform to applicable industry standards, restrict the system to powering the principal or accessory use on the same property (net metering is expressly not prohibited, but selling or donating generated power to others is), require written authorization from the local utility company for any grid-tied connection, require ground-level mechanical equipment to be screened per § 30-92-5 exactly as any other mechanical equipment would be, and require solar collectors to be positioned so concentrated glare is not directed onto neighboring properties or roadways.

Roof-mounted systems under (B)2 may go on a principal or accessory building, cannot exceed the underlying zoning district's maximum building height for that building type, cannot rise more than three feet above the finished roof, cannot project beyond the roof edge, and must meet the same setback as the building it sits on. Ground- or pole-mounted systems under (B)3 must meet the district's accessory-structure setbacks, cannot exceed fifteen feet in total height, and their surface area counts toward overall lot coverage on a sliding scale: 1,000 square feet on lots of one acre or less, 1,500 square feet on lots over one to five acres, and 2,000 square feet on lots over five acres.

All exterior electrical lines from a ground- or pole-mounted system to any building must run underground. An abandoned or deteriorated system must be removed or repaired by the property owner.