Off-Grid Living in Clark County, South Dakota

I'll be upfront: Clark County, South Dakota doesn't have a huge amount of published detail online, so a good chunk of this brief comes down to "call the county and ask." That's normal for rural counties this size, but I want to be honest about where the paper trail runs out.

Zoning. Clark County has adopted countywide zoning, under the state's enabling law (SDCL Chapter 11-2). That means unincorporated land in the county isn't a free-for-all, there are districts and land use rules that apply, administered by the county's Planning & Zoning office. If you're eyeing raw land here for an off-grid setup, don't assume "rural" means "unregulated."

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I could not find an official Clark County ordinance section that specifically addresses tiny homes or RVs as full-time residences. That's a gap, not a green light. Before you put a tiny house or RV on a lot and call it home, get the county's Planning & Zoning office to tell you, in writing if possible, how they'd classify it under the district rules.

Building permits. The county issues building permits, 911 addresses, and handles conditional use permits and variances through Planning & Zoning. I found no confirmation that Clark County has adopted a specific version of the International Building Code, and code adoption is a local option in South Dakota, so ask the office directly what's currently in force before you build.

Septic and composting toilets. Septic systems are governed at the state level by South Dakota's Administrative Rules (74:53:01 and 74:53:02) under DANR, with certified installers required statewide. Counties can add stricter local rules, so Clark County Planning & Zoning is the one to ask about any local add-ons. I found nothing specific to composting toilets at either the state or county level, so treat that as unresolved.

Greywater. No state statute or county ordinance on greywater reuse turned up in my research. This is one to raise directly with the county rather than assume.

Rainwater harvesting. South Dakota treats all water as belonging to the people, with a water right generally required for use, except domestic use is exempted from that requirement. That suggests small-scale rain catchment for household use is likely fine, but there's no explicit rainwater statute or Clark County rule confirming it. I'd call DANR's Water Rights office to be sure.

Wells. Wells fall under DANR's statewide Water Rights Program. If your intended water use needs a permit, state law requires that permit be approved before you drill, and the review process (with public notice) can take a while. No Clark County-specific well ordinance surfaced in my research beyond this state layer.

Off-grid / disconnected from utilities. I didn't find a county ordinance banning off-grid living outright. But that doesn't mean no rules apply, zoning compliance, septic permitting, and state electrical licensing rules for any wiring work still apply on top of whatever "off-grid" choices you make.