Off-grid site report
Adams County, WI
43.9559, -89.8175 · 968 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Adams 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 rulesAdams County, WI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedAdams County has a Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance covering unincorporated land countywide, administered by the county Planning & Zoning Department, plus a Shoreland Zoning Ordinance near navigable waters. Land unsuitable for building (flooding, poor soil, etc.) is restricted by county code. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCounty code prohibits placing manufactured homes or RVs on private land as dwellings without going through county permitting, and manufactured/RV parks need a county permit. Individual towns (e.g., Big Flats, per its own FAQ) may add stricter local occupancy rules not confirmed countywide. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedAdams County Planning & Zoning issues building, zoning, and electrical permits as the local agent for Wisconsin's state Uniform Dwelling Code; no county-specific deviation was found. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedAdams County enforces its own POWTS/sewage ordinance requiring county sanitary permits for septic installation and repair, on top of the state SPS 383 code; a Portable Restroom Permit suggests alternative sanitation is allowed under its own process. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedCounty code requires 'acceptable' greywater disposal for certain non-permanent installations like temporary RVs, but no county ordinance was found loosening the state DSPS plumbing code baseline for greywater generally. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Adams County ordinance addressing rainwater harvesting was found; the state baseline of permit-free outdoor non-potable use likely controls, but this is not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWisconsin's private well program (NR 812) is administered locally under NR 845 by county health or land conservation departments that adopt a well ordinance; whether Adams County has formally adopted its own is not confirmed, so check with the county's Land & Water Conservation Department. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Adams County ordinance was found addressing full utility disconnection for a legal dwelling; this is not confirmed one way or another at the county level.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,358 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 34 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 7,979 (severe)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Gundersen Moundview Hospital - 1.3 mi
- Fire station
Adams Fire Department - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 0.7 mi
- Grocery
Adams-Friendship County Market - 0.7 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 53934).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Adams 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.