Off-grid site report

Livingston County, NY

42.7532, -77.8842 · 610 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Livingston County, NY, 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 rulesLivingston County, NY

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyLivingston County has no countywide zoning ordinance; each town/village sets its own zoning, and the County Planning Board's review of referrals is advisory only. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedNo county rule found on tiny homes or RVs as dwellings; this is set town by town under the NYS Uniform Code as applied locally. Not confirmed for any specific Livingston County town.

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe county adopted a local law framework for Code Enforcement Officer duties, but building permits are issued and administered by each town's Code Enforcement Officer. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedLivingston County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division, requires its own wastewater treatment system (septic) permit before construction, going beyond just the state code. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific greywater ordinance or guidance was found; this appears to fall back to the state sanitary code baseline. Confirm directly with Livingston County Environmental Health.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found; treat as governed by the state baseline, which generally permits collection for non-potable use. Not confirmed at the county level.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedUnlike the state, which requires no state well permit, Livingston County requires its own Water Well Supply Permit from Environmental Health before well construction, plus a DEC-registered driller and compliance with NYS DOH Appendix 5-B standards. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo countywide mandate requiring utility hookups was found; whether a home must connect to grid power or municipal water depends on the specific town's code.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.2 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,167 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 31 in/yr
Heating degree days: 6,807 (cold)
Frost-free season: May 2 to Oct 13

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Wyoming County Community Health System: 12.5 mi
Fire station Leicester Fire Co Inc: 1.5 mi
Hardware store Home Outlet: 5.4 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 5.9 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 14481).

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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.