Council adopts unified zoning amendment limiting large solar farms, sets acreage caps and setbacks
May 05, 2026 | Lafayette City, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
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The Lafayette City Council voted May 4 to adopt a unified zoning ordinance amendment addressing large-scale solar projects.
A city staff presenter summarized key provisions: the amendment applies to solar farms larger than 10 acres, allows construction by right in industrial zones and by special exception in certain agricultural or research zones, caps individual farms at 400 acres with a 6,000-acre countywide limit, increases setback requirements (noted as 500 feet between neighboring properties), requires developers to pay for third-party reviews if requested, and expands decommissioning standards.
"These are large scale solar projects, which are more than 10 acres," the presenter said, adding that the amendment was driven primarily by Tippecanoe County and that the county commissioners had voted on it earlier the same day. Council discussed briefly and confirmed there was no linkage to data centers. The ordinance passed by roll call, 7-0.
A city staff presenter summarized key provisions: the amendment applies to solar farms larger than 10 acres, allows construction by right in industrial zones and by special exception in certain agricultural or research zones, caps individual farms at 400 acres with a 6,000-acre countywide limit, increases setback requirements (noted as 500 feet between neighboring properties), requires developers to pay for third-party reviews if requested, and expands decommissioning standards.
"These are large scale solar projects, which are more than 10 acres," the presenter said, adding that the amendment was driven primarily by Tippecanoe County and that the county commissioners had voted on it earlier the same day. Council discussed briefly and confirmed there was no linkage to data centers. The ordinance passed by roll call, 7-0.
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