Off-grid site report

St. Louis County, MN

47.8524, -92.6896 · 1,303 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for St. Louis County, MN, 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 rulesSt. Louis County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedSt. Louis County Planning & Zoning administers land use countywide for unincorporated areas under Zoning Ordinance 62 and Subdivision Ordinance, including active enforcement of occupancy standards. Incorporated cities/townships may have their own additional rules. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Varies locallyThe county defines RVs and manufactured/mobile homes and requires a 'Principal Dwelling' to have an approved sewage system, but there's no distinct tiny-home category; permanence depends on the specific zoning district, so confirm with Planning & Zoning.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyThe county issues building permits, but which chapters of the Minnesota State Building Code apply in unincorporated county land versus incorporated cities like Duluth is not confirmed in official sources; ask county Building Inspections or the relevant city. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedThe county's SSTS Ordinance 61 incorporates Minnesota Pollution Control Agency statewide design standards, and composting/incinerating toilets fall under those state design rules as administered locally. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo standalone county greywater policy is published; it's presumably folded into the state SSTS rules the county incorporates, but this isn't confirmed. Ask the county's Onsite Wastewater division directly.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater catchment ordinance was found; outdoor rain barrels likely follow the unregulated state baseline while plumbed indoor systems would go through standard plumbing code review, but this is not confirmed at the county level.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells are governed by Minnesota's statewide Well Code, administered by the Minnesota Department of Health; no separate county well-permitting program was confirmed.

Living disconnected from utilities

Generally allowedNo county ordinance was found requiring grid electric or municipal water/sewer hookup for occupancy, so long as an approved septic system (per county Ordinance 61) is in place. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.5 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,294 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 27 in/yr
Heating degree days: 9,906 (severe)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Cook Hospital: 0.5 mi
Fire station Cook Fire Department: 0.2 mi
Hardware store Orr Hardware: 15.5 mi
Grocery Zup's: 0.3 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 55723).

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.