Off-Grid Living in Clatsop County, Oregon

I've spent a while digging through Clatsop County's official pages to figure out what off-grid living actually looks like here, and the short version is: it's doable, but almost every piece runs through either the county or the State of Oregon, and a lot of the fine detail on newer options like RVs-as-dwellings and greywater just isn't published in a way I can point to with confidence.

Zoning is administered by the Clatsop County Land Use Planning Division for anything outside the five incorporated cities (Astoria, Cannon Beach, Gearhart, Seaside, Warrenton). Most rural land sits in resource zones like F-80, AF, and EFU, each with its own 80-acre-oriented framework, all consolidated into the county's Land and Water Development and Use Code. Before you can build at all, the county has to confirm your parcel is a "legal building lot" through its Lot-of-Record Determination process, so that's step one, not an afterthought.

Dwellings: manufactured homes are permitted under state rules (Oregon's manufactured dwelling park code), and the county's Building Codes Division handles placement permits, generally without a full plan review unless your foundation exceeds two feet. I could not confirm whether Clatsop County has opted into Oregon's SB 1013 program allowing RVs as second dwellings, or what specific standards apply to tiny houses/THOWs, so call the Building Codes Division directly before you plan around either.

Building permits run through the county under Oregon's statewide specialty codes (structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical). New single-family homes can use a combined permit, and owner-builders can sign their own permit applications, which is a nice bit of flexibility.

Septic: Clatsop County took over septic permitting from Oregon DEQ back in 2014 and now runs its own Onsite Septic Program for anything not on public sewer. General lot-size guidance from the county: roughly two-plus acres if you're on a well, less if you're on public water, though I'd verify site-specific numbers with the program.

Greywater rules I could not confirm at the county level. It likely falls under Oregon DEQ's statewide tiered greywater program by default, but there's no dedicated county page, so ask the Onsite Septic Program directly.

Rainwater catchment is explicitly recognized as an approved water source in the county's development code, with design reviewed by the Building Codes Division under Oregon's building code.

Wells are permitted, but you'll need a domestic water right application through Oregon Water Resources Department, a potability test, and county-verified proof of quantity and quality using a certified driller. Small domestic use under 15,000 gallons/day is generally exempt from a full water right permit statewide.

Off-grid overall: nothing in county code outright bans living off the electrical grid, but you do have to show an approved water source and approved wastewater method before the county will sign off on your structure.