Off-grid site report

Ramsey County, MN

45.0748, -93.0163 · 922 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Ramsey 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 rulesRamsey County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyNo county zoning ordinance governs land use here because Ramsey County has no unincorporated land; each city (e.g., City of Ramsey) sets its own zoning code, including any Rural Residential districts for wells/septic-served homes. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNot confirmed at the county level; tiny home, RV occupancy, and minimum dwelling size rules are set city-by-city and you'd need to check the specific municipal code.

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedThe Minnesota State Building Code is mandatory across the seven-county metro area, including Ramsey County, but permits are issued by each city's building department, not the county. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic (SSTS) systems are permitted under Minnesota Pollution Control Agency standards; in Ramsey County, cities like the City of Ramsey administer Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080 locally rather than the county doing so directly. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNot confirmed; no Ramsey County or city-specific greywater rule was found, so it likely falls under whatever local SSTS ordinance applies under the state MPCA framework. Ask your city's septic/environmental office.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNot confirmed at the county level; no municipal or county page on rain barrels or catchment systems was found, though state plumbing code would apply to any indoor plumbed rainwater system.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells are legal statewide under Minnesota Department of Health rules and generally must be installed by an MDH-licensed contractor, with a narrow exception for personal wells on land used for farming; no Ramsey County-specific well program was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNot confirmed; no county or state rule was found requiring grid connection, but since nearly all of Ramsey County lies within cities with municipal water/sewer, any occupancy requirements tied to utilities would be set by the specific city.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.7 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,367 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 32 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,360 (cold)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital M Health West Bank Emergency Department: 13.1 mi
Fire station Mahtomedi: 3.5 mi
Hardware store Harbor Freight Tools: 3.2 mi
Grocery Kowalski's: 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 55110).

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.