Off-Grid Living in Winona County, Minnesota

If you're eyeing off-grid land in Winona County, Minnesota, here's what I've found digging through the county's official pages, plus where the gaps are.

Zoning. Winona County Planning & Environmental Services runs countywide zoning outside the cities, under the Winona County Zoning Ordinance (WCZO). This isn't a blank slate: there's a longstanding density rule, in place since 1989, that allows one non-farm dwelling per quarter-quarter section of land. That matters a lot if you're hoping to split off a small parcel. Also worth knowing: Saratoga, St. Charles, and Utica townships are shifting to their own permitting through Construction Management Services (CSM) starting in early 2026, and Wilson Township has run its own zoning since 2013. So the first thing I'd do is confirm which authority actually governs your specific parcel, county or township, before assuming any rule applies.

Tiny homes, RVs, dwellings. I couldn't find an official county page spelling out whether a tiny home or RV counts as a permanent dwelling under the zoning ordinance. This is exactly the kind of question that hinges on how "dwelling" is defined in the WCZO, so I'd call Planning & Environmental Services directly rather than guess.

Building permits. The county's Planning & Environmental Services department issues zoning certificates and certificates of compliance, but I didn't find a standalone countywide building-code page. The City of Winona has its own building code and fee schedule, but that only applies inside city limits, not out on rural land.

Septic and composting toilets. This one's solid: Winona County administers its own SSTS (Subsurface Sewage Treatment System) program under authority delegated from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and state law requires counties to run SSTS programs at least as strict as state rules. Composting toilets fall under state MPCA rules, but I didn't find county-specific guidance, so check with the county septic office before installing one.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither has a dedicated Winona County ordinance that I could find. Greywater likely gets folded into the septic/SSTS review, and rainwater catchment seems to just follow the statewide plumbing code for indoor systems. Both are worth a direct call to confirm before you build.

Wells. Winona County is one of only five Minnesota jurisdictions with a delegated well program, meaning the county, not the state Department of Health, handles well permits and inspections here. Unused wells must legally be sealed by a licensed contractor or kept under an MDH maintenance permit. The county also partners with a regional lab to offer free well water testing, which is a nice perk if you're buying land with an existing well.

Utility disconnection. I found no ordinance addressing whether you can legally live fully off-grid without electric utility hookup. Any electrical work you do would fall under the state's electrical inspector program, but the "can I disconnect entirely" question needs a direct answer from the county.

Bottom line: Winona County gives off-gridders a real, structured path, especially for wells and septic, but zoning density limits and township-level carve-outs mean you have to check your exact parcel's rules before assuming anything.