Off-grid site report

Smith County, KS

39.7761, -98.7819 · 1,834 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Smith 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 rulesSmith County, KS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyKansas state law allows counties to adopt zoning for unincorporated land by resolution, but it's optional. Whether Smith County has done so for its unincorporated area is not confirmed; Smith Center (the city) has its own zoning board. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Smith County document addresses tiny homes or RV occupancy as dwellings. Kansas has no statewide statute on this, so it would depend on a local rule not confirmed in research. source

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyKansas has no mandatory statewide building code outside state property. No Smith County building-permit page or adopted code was located, so it's not confirmed what applies in the unincorporated county. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedKDHE's official list of county sanitary codes confirms Smith County adopted its own sanitary code in 1995, which governs septic permitting, siting, and inspection alongside KDHE's statewide onsite wastewater standards. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyThe Smith County sanitary code likely addresses greywater as part of its general wastewater/effluent provisions, similar to other Kansas counties, but the actual text was not retrievable to confirm. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Smith County restriction was found. Kansas state water law treats ordinary household rainwater catchment as an exempt domestic use requiring no permit.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedDomestic wells are regulated statewide by KDHE for construction and siting, and must be drilled by a state-licensed water well contractor. No separate Smith County well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Smith County ordinance requiring hookup to public utilities was found, and Kansas has no statewide mandate either, but a local requirement can't be ruled out without confirming with the county.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.4 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,540 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 26 in/yr
Snowfall: 17 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,591 (cold)
Frost-free season: Apr 24 to Oct 10

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Franklin County Memorial Hospital: 24.3 mi
Fire station Smith Center Fire Department: 0.3 mi
Hardware store Ackerman Supply: 22.8 mi
Grocery Gene's Heartland Foods: 0.7 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 66967).

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. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.