Off-grid site report
Ellis County, KS
38.9381, -99.5607 · 2,146 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Ellis County, KS, 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 rulesEllis County, KS
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyEllis County Planning & Zoning administers countywide zoning in unincorporated areas via the Joint Planning Commission; inside Hays, Ellis, Victoria, or Schoenchen city limits, the city's own zoning applies instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyA Zoning Certificate is required before erecting or altering any structure in unincorporated county land, but no specific tiny-home or RV occupancy rule was confirmed; ask the Zoning Administrator directly. source
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyUnincorporated county land uses a Zoning Certificate process; cities set their own adopted building codes, for example the City of Ellis uses the 2015 International Building Codes. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedThe Ellis County Environmental Code governs onsite wastewater systems countywide in unincorporated areas, and all septic systems in Kansas must meet KDHE's Bulletin 4-2 design standards; composting toilet rules specifically were not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo distinct Ellis County greywater exemption was found; greywater appears to fall under the county's broad 'domestic wastewater' definition and general wastewater permitting rather than a separate allowance.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance was found, so this appears to follow the state baseline under the Kansas Water Appropriation Act's domestic-use exemption.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedEllis County requires private well inspection at property transfer and well construction meeting KDHE Article 30 standards plus county guidelines; some areas of the county have flagged groundwater contamination risk where wells should not be drilled.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Ellis County requirement to connect to public utilities for occupancy was found in the sources reviewed; this likely follows a general lack of state mandate but is not confirmed for the county specifically.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,615 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 23 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 17 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,394 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 24 to Oct 13
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Hays Medical Center - 14.8 mi
- Fire station
Ellis Fire Department - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 13.6 mi
- Grocery
Dillons - 12.6 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 67637).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Ellis County, KS?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.