Walworth County, WI Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Sec. 65-119 sets the baseline: a solar energy system is permitted in every upland zoning classification where buildings are allowed, and a building-mounted system is exempt from both the conditional use process and the zoning permit process as long as it does not extend more than 18 inches beyond the building's original exterior perimeter. Ground- or pole-mounted systems may skip the conditional use process but still need a zoning permit if the whole system meets accessory structure setbacks, stays at or under 100 kilowatts rated capacity for the parcel, and is no more than 21 feet tall.

Where a permit is required, Sec. 65-120 requires the applicant to submit a form to the Administrator naming a contact person for operational issues and complaints, along with two copies of a drawing showing the system's proposed height, location, and distance from property lines. The Administrator must issue or deny the permit within 30 days of a complete application, and if it is issued, one approved drawing goes back to the applicant while the county retains a copy with the file. A denied applicant can appeal to the Board of Adjustment under Chapter 74.

Once issued, the permit card must be posted conspicuously on the site until installation is complete, and the permit expires if the system is not installed and functioning within two years. Systems that exceed the exemption thresholds instead go through the Sec. 65-121 conditional use process, which requires a 50-foot setback from property lines and 75 feet from the ordinary high-water mark, plus a Committee hearing following published class 2 notice.