Off-grid site report

Washington County, UT

37.1305, -113.5083 · 2,802 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Washington County, UT, 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 rulesWashington County, UT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedWashington County zoning sets agricultural/residential zones with minimum lot sizes; raw-land occupancy without an approved dwelling isn't addressed as a blanket allowance, and stricter overlay zones (like Pine Valley) can apply on top. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedThe county requires a building permit tied to a checklist covering access, water, septic feasibility, and power before you can live in a structure; RVs are treated per the state's restricted-occupancy baseline with no unique county carve-out confirmed. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe county adopts state construction codes and requires permits to be filed electronically through its own portal, plus construction-site sanitation requirements like a porta-potty and dumpster. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSeptic permitting runs through the Southwest Utah Public Health Department under state rule R317-4, with the Washington County Water Conservancy District involved on density in its service area; composting toilets aren't addressed on official pages found. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; it defers to the state rule (R317-401) administered locally by the health department. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Washington County restriction beyond the state rainwater harvesting statute was found; the state rule governs.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedWell construction requires a valid water right and Start Card from the state Division of Water Rights, and the county separately requires proof of a metered connection, producing well, or culinary water rights before issuing a building permit. source

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedCounty subdivision code requires an approved water supply and waste disposal system before any building permit issues, and hauling water in as a permanent residential water source is effectively disallowed outside of specific agricultural exceptions; alternative energy for power is explicitly accepted. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 6.4 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 4.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,774 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 9 in/yr
Snowfall: 1 in/yr
Heating degree days: 2,986 (mild)
Frost-free season: Mar 7 to Nov 17

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital: 3.4 mi
Fire station Station 61: 0.7 mi
Hardware store Peterbilt: 0.7 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 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 84780).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.