Off-grid site report
Sarpy County, NE
41.1748, -95.9945 · 981 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Sarpy County, NE, 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 rulesSarpy County, NE
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallySarpy County zoning applies only outside municipal limits and ETJs of Papillion, Bellevue, Gretna, La Vista, and Springfield; within unincorporated areas, districts set minimum lot sizes (e.g., 5 acres for some agricultural/low-density districts) and require a permit from the County Planning Director before any structure goes up. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Sarpy-specific ordinance on tiny homes or long-term RV occupancy as a dwelling was found; zoning sets lot-size and district-use rules but tiny home/RV residency isn't separately addressed, so confirm directly with county Planning & Building.
Building permits & codes
RestrictedSarpy County adopted the 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, and Fuel Gas Codes plus 2009 ANSI A117.1, effective 2024; no structure or use is allowed without a county-issued building permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedNo Sarpy County-specific septic or composting-toilet ordinance was found; the state baseline applies, with NDEE regulating onsite wastewater design and installer certification under Title 124 statewide. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Sarpy-specific greywater reuse ordinance was located; the county's stormwater code addresses illicit discharges generally but isn't a residential greywater authorization, so the state NDEE Title 124 restriction on untreated greywater discharge is the applicable baseline.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Sarpy County or Nebraska state prohibition on rainwater collection was found; if you plumb harvested rainwater into a building's water system, the county's adopted International Plumbing Code would govern that installation. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedThe Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District requires permits for wells over 50 gallons per minute and enforces 600-foot minimum spacing between domestic wells; well construction must also meet Nebraska DHHS Title 178 standards. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo blanket Sarpy County ordinance requiring grid or municipal sewer hookup was found, but living off-grid still requires a code-compliant, permitted structure, water source, and wastewater system under the county's adopted codes and NRD/state well rules. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,455 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 33 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,296 (cold)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Omaha VA Medical Center - 4.9 mi
- Fire station
Bellevue Fire Station (District 3) - 1.5 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 1.4 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 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 68157).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
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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.