Off-grid site report

Morgan County, WV

39.6929, -78.1775 · 397 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Morgan County, WV, 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 rulesMorgan County, WV

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyMorgan County has no traditional zoning code, but the Planning Commission requires an Improvement Location Permit for construction and enforces subdivision/stormwater and floodplain ordinances. Raw land occupancy with no structure isn't directly addressed. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo Morgan County ordinance specifically addressing tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings was found, and the state baseline is also silent. Confirm directly with the Planning Commission.

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyThe Planning Commission issues an Improvement Location Permit with its own fee schedule, but whether the state building code is fully enforced locally was not confirmed. Towns like Berkeley Springs and Paw Paw have separate permit offices within their limits. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are governed statewide by West Virginia's Bureau for Public Health (OEHS) sewage system rule, with local health department sanitarians handling permits. A Morgan County-specific septic page wasn't found, so contact the county health department directly. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Morgan County greywater ordinance was found; this defers to the statewide onsite wastewater rules under OEHS, meaning greywater disposal generally needs to be part of an approved design.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county or state ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting was found, so it appears permitted by default, though this isn't explicitly confirmed in writing.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedIndividual wells are state-regulated through the WV Bureau for Public Health's Water Well Certification Program. Morgan County's Planning Commission has done its own groundwater studies for regional planning, but that doesn't replace the state permitting process.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Morgan County ordinance requiring connection to public water, sewer, or electric was found. This appears to ride on septic and well compliance rather than a direct mandate, but it's not confirmed.

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): 2.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,262 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 38 in/yr
Snowfall: 21 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,340 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 30 to Oct 14

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital War Memorial Hospital: 3.7 mi
Fire station Hancock Volunteer Fire Company Station 5: 0.5 mi
Hardware store Hunters Hardware: 5.1 mi
Grocery Save-A-Lot: 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 21750).

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.