Off-grid site report
Brown County, IN
39.1695, -86.2371Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Brown County, IN, 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, IN
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedBrown County has adopted a countywide zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas, administered by the Planning and Zoning Department; Nashville has its own separate ordinance. Zoning maps aren't online, so call the county to confirm a parcel's district. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county explicitly says RVs and campers are not approved for permanent, long-term living because they don't meet residential square footage or building code. One accessory dwelling unit per lot is allowed within a set floor-area range. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedConstruction must conform to the Indiana Building Code and go through the county Building Inspection Department, with a Certificate of Occupancy required before the home can be occupied. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic systems must meet Indiana's state onsite sewage rule (410 IAC 6-8.3), but Brown County's own septic ordinance goes further and bans privies, portable toilets, incinerating toilets, and composting toilets as a primary or permanent disposal method. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Brown County-specific greywater ordinance was found; it appears to fall under the broader state sewage-disposal rule. Confirm directly with the county Health Department before setting anything up.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county or state prohibition on rainwater harvesting was found in the research, but no explicit permitting pathway was found either. Not confirmed either way locally.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell construction is governed at the state level under Indiana's Water Well Drilling and Pump Installer Law and the Water Well Construction Rule; no added Brown County well permit was found beyond septic-setback coordination. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo ordinance requires hookup to public utilities, but going off-grid doesn't exempt a home from Certificate of Occupancy, septic, and zoning dwelling requirements set by the county. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,339 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 47 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 16 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,285 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 15 to Oct 24
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
IU Health Bloomington - 14.2 mi
- Fire station
Brown County Volunteer Fire Department - 2.6 mi
- Hardware store
Bear Hardware - 2.2 mi
- Grocery
IGA - 2.2 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 47435).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Brown County, IN?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.