Off-grid site report

Stark County, ND

46.8823, -102.7843 · 2,428 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Stark County, ND, 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 rulesStark County, ND

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyStark County has adopted countywide zoning with districts like Agricultural, Estate Residential, and Mobile Home; permitted uses vary by district and rezonings go through the Planning and Zoning Commission and County Commission. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Varies locallyMobile/manufactured homes are restricted to a designated Mobile Home District per the county zoning ordinance, and recreational travel trailers are treated separately; specific tiny-home rules were not confirmed. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedBuilding permits for all of Stark County are administered by the City of Dickinson's Building and Codes Department, which handles plan checks, permits, and inspections. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic permits are issued locally by the Stark County Health Department's Environmental Health division, but a 2025 state law gives ND DEQ full authority over licensing and inspecting onsite wastewater systems statewide; hired installers must be DEQ-licensed. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Stark County ordinance or ND DEQ page specifically addressing residential greywater reuse was found; this is not confirmed, so check with Stark County Environmental Health directly.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county-specific rule restricting rainwater harvesting was found, though a building permit through the City of Dickinson may be required if underground storage or plumbing changes are involved. source

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWell drilling, pump installation, and water appropriation are regulated almost entirely by the state through the ND Department of Water Resources, with the Stark County Health Department handling private well water-quality testing. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Stark County ordinance requiring connection to grid electric, water, or sewer utilities was found in official sources; this is not confirmed one way or the other.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.8 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,412 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 17 in/yr
Snowfall: 34 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,842 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 22 to Sep 17

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson: 1.8 mi
Fire station Dickinson Fire Station 1: 0.3 mi
Hardware store Ace Hardware: 0.8 mi
Grocery Cash Wise Food & Liquor: 1.4 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 58602).

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.