Off-grid site report
Montrose County, CO
38.4782, -107.8763 · 5,827 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Montrose County, CO, 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 rulesMontrose County, CO
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyUnincorporated Montrose County zones most rural land General Agricultural under its own County Zoning Resolution; subdivision requires road frontage, potable water access, and minimum lot size. Land inside City of Montrose limits follows separate city code. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyManufactured/modular homes need a county building permit and a permanent foundation outside licensed parks, plus a Certificate of Use/Occupancy before occupancy. Tiny-house-on-wheels or long-term RV living rules are not confirmed by any county page found. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedMontrose County requires building permits through its Citizen Permit Portal, including plans, setbacks, engineered foundation, and septic info; electrical/plumbing/gas permits go through state offices instead of the county. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedMontrose County Environmental Health permits on-site wastewater systems under state CDPHE rules; minimum lot size for septic is one acre and systems must be engineer-designed. Composting toilets as a substitute are not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyColorado's greywater program is opt-in per county under state Regulation 86; no evidence was found that Montrose County has adopted a local greywater ordinance, so confirm current status with Environmental Health. source
Rainwater harvesting
RestrictedNo Montrose County-specific rule was found; the state baseline applies, allowing limited household rainwater collection tied to water rights administered by Division of Water Resources Division 4 in Montrose. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWells are permitted at the state level, not by the county; the Division 4 Montrose office evaluates exempt well permits for the Gunnison and San Miguel basins, and well water quality is the owner's responsibility. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo Montrose County ordinance requiring grid or municipal water connection was found; off-grid combinations of solar, well, and permitted septic appear to be an accepted local path subject to the building and wastewater permits described above. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.8 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,644 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 10 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 20 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,197 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 5 to Oct 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Montrose Regional Hospital - 0.4 mi
- Fire station
Montrose Fire District Station Number 1 - 0.3 mi
- Hardware store
Abel's Ace Hardware - 0.1 mi
- Grocery
City Market - 0.1 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 81402).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Montrose County, CO?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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.