Off-grid site report

Codington County, SD

45.0397, -97.4473 · 1,726 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Codington County, SD, 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 rulesCodington County, SD

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedCodington County has adopted its own zoning ordinance (Ordinance #65) covering all unincorporated land, including a Rural Residential District map and Aquifer Protection Districts with extra restrictions near shallow aquifers. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyRVs are defined as temporary/seasonal use in the ordinance, and there's no formal ADU category, but specific rules for tiny homes or full-time RV occupancy aren't confirmed. Check with the county Zoning Office before proceeding.

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedCodington County requires a building permit before any excavation or construction in the unincorporated county; skipping it can trigger an administrative penalty and possible legal action. Full IBC adoption by the county is not confirmed. source

Septic & composting toilets

Unclear - verifyNo county page on septic permitting was found; this likely defaults to South Dakota DANR's statewide onsite wastewater rules, but the county/state division of responsibility isn't confirmed. Ask both the county Planning & Zoning Office and DANR. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Codington County ordinance or state rule on residential greywater reuse was found; not confirmed at either level.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found, and no dedicated state statute exists either; domestic water use is generally exempt from DANR water-rights permitting.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWells are regulated statewide by South Dakota DANR's Water Rights Program and Well Construction Standards; no additional county well-permit process was confirmed beyond Aquifer Protection District siting restrictions. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNothing found bans off-grid utility disconnection, but a county building permit is still required for any structure, and whether the permit process conditions approval on utility hookups is not confirmed for Codington specifically. 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): 2.8 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,385 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 25 in/yr
Snowfall: 42 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,474 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 3 to Oct 3

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Prairie Lakes Hospital: 18.3 mi
Fire station Training Area: 16.9 mi
Hardware store Stihl: 18.1 mi
Grocery Dollar General Market: 17.7 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 57272).

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.