Off-grid site report

Wallowa County, OR

45.5700, -117.5277 · 2,930 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Wallowa County, OR, 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 rulesWallowa County, OR

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyWallowa County has countywide zoning with 12 designations; Rural Residential (R-1) requires five-acre minimum lots (with some exceptions for legally created smaller parcels), while EFU and Forest zones carry resource-protection standards. Land inside a city's Urban Growth Boundary is administered by that city, not the county. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedManufactured homes must carry a HUD label or Oregon insignia and pre-1969 units are barred unless upgraded; RVs are generally not allowed as standalone permanent dwellings outside specific listed uses like RV parks in the Rural Service zone. Whether the county has opted into Oregon's SB 1013 RV-rental-dwelling program was not confirmed. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedWallowa County's Building Codes Department issues structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits under state Oregon Administrative Rules for the county and the cities of Wallowa, Lostine, Enterprise, and Joseph. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic permitting for Wallowa County has been handled by Harney County's Environmental Health Department since June 2025 under an intergovernmental agreement; older records stay with Oregon DEQ. Composting toilet rules specific to the county were not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Varies locallyNo Wallowa County-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county's building codes page points to Oregon DEQ, suggesting the state's tiered greywater permit system applies by default. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Wallowa County-specific rainwater harvesting ordinance was found; the state's general allowance for roof-catchment collection would apply, but this is not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedNo distinct Wallowa County well-construction ordinance was found; well construction and water rights are governed at the state level by the Oregon Water Resources Department, with county involvement mainly through septic-related Land Use Compatibility Statements. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo county ordinance banning off-grid or disconnected living was found, but any occupied dwelling still needs applicable building permits and a DEQ-compliant septic system. source

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)
2.3 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,300 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
34 in/yr
Snowfall
116 in/yr
Heating degree days
6,936 (cold)
Frost-free season
May 8 to Oct 16
Design low
4 °F

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Wallowa Memorial Hospital
15.1 mi
Fire station
Wallowa Fire Department
0.1 mi
Hardware store
Ace Hardware
15.6 mi
Grocery
Wallowa Food City
0.1 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 97885).

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

Share or save this report:New report

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.