Off-grid site report
Brown County, WI
44.4901, -88.0636 · 617 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Brown County, WI, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesBrown County, WI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyBrown County has countywide zoning administered by Planning and Land Services, including required shoreland zoning, but individual towns like Eaton and Morrison layer their own zoning-district, lot-size, and setback rules on top. Raw-land occupancy rules really depend on which town the parcel is in, so confirm with both the town and the county. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyThe state Uniform Dwelling Code sets a baseline, but towns like Morrison add their own minimum dwelling floor-area rules (for example, a stated minimum ground floor area for one-story homes) that could rule out very small or tiny homes and likely bar RVs as permanent residences. It's not confirmed whether this applies countywide or just in specific towns, so I'd check with the town zoning office directly. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBrown County Planning and Zoning staff process building permits and enforce the state Uniform Dwelling Code framework, though state rule allows towns to handle UDC enforcement themselves instead of the county. Ask your specific town which office issues the actual building permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedBrown County administers the state's POWTS code (Wisconsin Administrative Code chapters covering onsite wastewater) through its own Chapter 11 ordinance, requiring a sanitary permit application for any new system, including composting toilets or other alternative setups. This runs through the county's Planning and Land Services zoning division. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI found no Brown County-specific ordinance on greywater reuse. The likely default is the state DSPS plumbing code baseline, which restricts greywater to subsurface irrigation with a permit and licensed installer, but confirm this with Brown County Planning and Land Services since no county page addresses it directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Brown County ordinance or health/zoning guidance on rainwater harvesting turned up in this research. The state baseline generally treats outdoor non-potable collection as unregulated while indoor/potable use falls under DSPS plumbing code, but that's not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedBrown County is delegated by the state to administer well location permits, and construction must still meet the state DNR well code. The county's Land & Water Conservation and Public Health departments also offer well water testing for concerns like nitrate, bacteria, arsenic, and lead. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Brown County or Wisconsin state provision was found in official sources that directly addresses fully disconnecting a legal dwelling from electric, gas, or municipal utility service. Individual town zoning ordinances could theoretically require utility connections for habitability, but that wasn't confirmed anywhere in official Brown County materials, so ask your specific town zoning office.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.5 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,333 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 30 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 7,781 (severe)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Saint Vincent Hospital - 2.6 mi
- Fire station
Fire Station Number 4 - 1.7 mi
- Hardware store
Automotive Supply Co. - 0.0 mi
- Grocery
ALDI - 0.6 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 54304).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Brown County, WI?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.