Off-grid site report

York County, SC

35.0601, -80.9103 · 581 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for York County, SC, 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 rulesYork County, SC

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedYork County has countywide zoning for unincorporated areas, administered by Planning & Development Services under the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances (Chapter 155/Appendix A). Raw land is not unregulated here as in some SC counties. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCounty zoning permits only one travel/camping trailer per family and bars occupying it outside a mobile-home-park zone; the county's ADU packet bans RVs, tiny homes on wheels, and manufactured homes as accessory dwellings. Manufactured/modular homes as a primary residence are allowed but must be installed by a licensed SC contractor.
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedYork County requires building permits for most construction and enforces the state-adopted International Code series through its Building & Codes division, with narrow statutory exceptions for certain farm and small structures. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedYork County does not issue septic permits at all; this is handled entirely by the state through SCDHEC/SCDES. Composting toilets are not separately addressed and likely fall under the same state wastewater regime. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo York County-specific ordinance on greywater reuse was found; the state (SCDHEC/SCDES) baseline requiring an engineered subsurface system likely applies, with county building review layered on top. Confirm directly with SCDES and county Building & Codes.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo dedicated York County ordinance on rainwater harvesting (barrels, cisterns) was found. County backflow-preventer rules only apply to irrigation connected to the public water system, not standalone collection; confirm any indoor-plumbed use with Planning & Development.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedYork County does not issue well permits; SCDHEC/SCDES handles residential well permitting statewide. If connected to county water, a private well can be kept but must remain physically separate from the public system per state rules. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyThere's no blanket county ban on off-grid living, but any inhabited structure still needs zoning compliance, a building permit, and state septic/well permits; larger land-disturbing projects may also need state stormwater permit coverage. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
5.3 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
3.8 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,439 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
42 in/yr
Snowfall
4 in/yr
Heating degree days
3,390 (moderate)
Frost-free season
Apr 4 to Nov 3

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Palmetto Tower
3.1 mi
Fire station
Charlotte Fire Department Station 20
4.9 mi
Hardware store
Harbor Freight Tools
2.6 mi
Grocery
Food Lion
2.1 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 28134).

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.