Off-grid site report
Ozaukee County, WI
43.2787, -87.9766 · 712 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Ozaukee County, WI, 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 rulesOzaukee County, WI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyOzaukee County has no general countywide zoning ordinance for private land; the county handles shoreland/floodplain overlays while your town, village, or city sets occupancy and land-use zoning under the state's Ch. 59 framework. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rule on tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings was found; the state Uniform Dwelling Code applies and is enforced by your local town/village/city building inspector. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBuilding permits for one- and two-family homes are issued by each town/village/city building inspector under the state UDC, not by a single county building department; the county layers in sanitary, shoreland, and floodplain permits where applicable. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedOzaukee County requires a sanitary permit under Chapter 9 of the County Code for any POWTS, including privies/composting-type systems, with a certified soil evaluation upfront and periodic pumping/maintenance required afterward; state DSPS plan approval is required for certain system types. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Ozaukee-specific greywater ordinance was found; it falls under the statewide DSPS/POWTS plumbing framework the county administers. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Ozaukee County ordinance addressing rainwater harvesting was located; not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedOrdinary domestic wells are governed by the state DNR Well and Pump Code rather than a distinct county permitting regime; the county's Land & Water Management Department offers private well water testing as a support service. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county or state source directly addresses fully disconnecting an occupied dwelling from electric, gas, or municipal utilities; this likely intersects with UDC habitability rules enforced by your local building inspector, but no explicit rule was found.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.4 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
- 48 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 7,419 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 9 to Oct 2
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Watertown Regional Medical Center - 36.6 mi
- Fire station
Germantown Fire Department Station 1 - 7.4 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 8.1 mi
- Grocery
Sendik's - 1.3 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 53012).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Ozaukee County, WI?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.