Off-grid site report

Sherburne County, MN

45.4039, -93.6297 · 942 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Sherburne County, MN, 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 rulesSherburne County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallySherburne County Planning & Zoning administers countywide zoning for its 10 townships under a Comprehensive Plan adopted per state statute, but the City of Baldwin now handles its own zoning, and other cities may too. Raw land occupancy isn't addressed as a standalone right, it's tied to permitted structures and utilities. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedRVs and park trailers are treated as temporary/recreational, not permanent dwellings, and manufactured homes are only allowed via a narrow Interim Use Permit process. Whether a tiny home on wheels counts as permanent is not confirmed, so ask the county Planning & Zoning Department. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe County Ordinance requires permits for most structures, additions, and alterations, with a short list of small exemptions (tiny accessory buildings, low retaining walls, small water tanks, short fences). Multiple overlapping checks (setbacks, septic, wells, floodplain, shoreland) apply. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic (SSTS) systems are permitted and administered by Sherburne County Planning & Zoning under state Minnesota Rules 7080-7083, and the county's ordinance explicitly recognizes privy vaults as acceptable, mirroring the state's allowance for composting toilets. A state-licensed designer is required before installation and county permit approval. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo standalone county greywater ordinance was found; it appears to be handled only indirectly through the SSTS program. Ask the county Zoning Office how a greywater system would be evaluated.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Sherburne County ordinance on rain barrels or plumbed catchment was found. Any indoor-plumbed system would likely fall under Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry plumbing code, per the county's own Building Permit FAQ. source

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWell construction is a state matter, permitted by the Minnesota Department of Health under Minn. Stat. ch. 103I, with Sherburne County served by MDH's St. Cloud district office. The county separately requires a Well Disclosure Certificate at property transfer. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance was found that expressly requires or bans grid or municipal hookups for a legal dwelling in the townships, but occupancy approval generally presumes an approved well and septic system are in place. Confirm project specifics with Planning & Zoning.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.7 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,365 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 31 in/yr
Snowfall: 46 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,079 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 9 to Sep 26

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital CentraCare - Monticello Hospital: 10.2 mi
Fire station Elk River Fire Department Station Two: 7.1 mi
Hardware store Menards: 6.4 mi
Grocery Jim's Market: 3.6 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 55398).

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.