Off-grid site report
Delaware County, NY
42.1183, -75.2494 · 1,253 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Delaware County, NY, 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 rulesDelaware County, NY
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyDelaware County has no countywide zoning code; each of its ~29 towns and villages sets its own zoning (or has none), with the County Planning Department only doing advisory review under state law. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county-level standard for tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings was found; this is set town-by-town, so confirm with the specific town's code enforcement office.
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThere is no county building department; each town or village administers building permits under the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code through its own code enforcement office. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic approval follows New York State's wastewater standards and is reviewed by the NYS DOH Oneonta District Office, since Delaware County is a partial-service county without its own environmental health program. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Delaware County-specific greywater rule was found; greywater reuse falls under the same statewide NYS DOH/DEC framework, administered here through the Oneonta DOH office. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; it appears to follow New York's generally permissive statewide approach.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are legal but must meet NYS DOH standards and be drilled by a registered contractor; drinking water oversight in this county runs through the NYS DOH Oneonta District Office rather than a county water authority.
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo countywide rule requires grid connection; whether a dwelling can legally stay off-grid depends on the specific town's building and zoning code enforcement, since the county itself has no unified code.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.3 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,191 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 45 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 56 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,969 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 28 to Oct 27
- Design low
- -4 °F
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
UHS Delaware Valley Hospital - 7.0 mi
- Fire station
Townsend Hose Company Number 4 - 6.9 mi
- Hardware store
Ed. Hartz and Sons - 9.9 mi
- Grocery
Walton Big M - 7.0 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 13847).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Delaware County, NY?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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.