Off-grid site report

Summit County, UT

40.6572, -111.5430 · 8,980 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Summit 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 rulesSummit County, UT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallySummit County has no single countywide zoning code; unincorporated land falls under either the Snyderville Basin Development Code (Title 10) or the Eastern Summit County Development Code (Title 11), each with different districts and density rules. Whether raw-land camping or a yurt as a permanent residence is allowed isn't confirmed in either code, so I'd call the Planning & Zoning Department for your specific parcel. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county's code allows accessory dwelling units in most residential zones (with workforce-rental conditions) and a foundation-built tiny home would go through the standard building permit process, but I found nothing confirming that an RV or wheeled tiny home can be used as a permanent primary residence, so I'd default to it being restricted until the Building Department says otherwise. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedSummit County's Building Department enforces the statewide construction code and requires a complete permit application and inspections before a certificate of occupancy is issued; depending on your zone, you may also need a planning approval (like a conditional use or site plan) before you can even apply for the building permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedThe Summit County Health Department administers the state's OWTS rule (R317-4) and requires a soil evaluation and percolation test before approving a septic system; composting toilets as a stand-alone system aren't addressed on the pages I found, so that's not confirmed and worth a direct call to the Health Department. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedI couldn't find an official Summit County page laying out a local greywater permitting process, so I'd treat this as governed by the state's default greywater rule (R317-401) administered through the local health department, and confirm specifics with them directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedI didn't find any Summit County ordinance narrowing the statewide allowance for rainwater collection, so the state's general permission (with its free registration threshold) appears to apply here, but it's not explicitly confirmed at the county level. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedUtah's Division of Water Rights handles well permitting and construction statewide (a valid water right and Start Card are needed before drilling), and in parts of Summit County like the Snyderville Basin/Silver Creek service areas, local rules add further conditions such as capped acre-foot allotments and mandatory water meters administered by Summit County Service Area #3. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI found nothing on Summit County's Building Department pages that directly says whether a home relying solely on well, septic, and solar (no grid or public hookups) can get a certificate of occupancy; the code language focuses on structural and sanitary safety rather than utility connections, so this really needs a direct question to the Building Department. source

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)
3.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,495 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
44 in/yr
Snowfall
411 in/yr
Heating degree days
10,285 (severe)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Encompass Health
12.4 mi
Fire station
Silver Lake Station Number 34
3.7 mi
Hardware store
Earth Elements
4.8 mi
Grocery
Maceys
6.6 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 84068).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

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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.