Off-grid site report

Iosco County, MI

44.2760, -83.5045 · 591 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Iosco County, MI, 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 rulesIosco County, MI

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyIosco County has no countywide zoning ordinance; each township (AuSable, Iosco, Baldwin, Oscoda, etc.) adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance under the state Zoning Enabling Act, and at least one township requires a zoning permit before establishing a use or building. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedAuSable Township's ordinance bars using an RV, trailer, or portable building as a permanent dwelling, and Iosco Township requires a zoning permit for structures over a modest size; rules vary by township and it's not confirmed whether any township allows RVs as full-time residences. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe Iosco County Building and Safety Inspection Department enforces the Michigan Residential and Building Codes countywide, and state law prohibits circumventing licensing requirements for residential construction work. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSeptic permitting for Iosco County is handled by District Health Department No. 2, a multi-county health agency; specific standards for composting toilets as a septic alternative were not confirmed in available DHD#2 documentation.

Greywater reuse

Generally allowedNo Iosco County or township-specific greywater ordinance was found; greywater reuse falls under the state Plumbing Code and Residential Code administered by Michigan LARA, with no confirmed local addition.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county or township restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; it's governed by the state plumbing code administered by Michigan LARA with no added local layer confirmed.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedMichigan's Public Health Code (Part 127) allows landowners to install their own well, and District Health Department No. 2 issues permits and reviews siting per the state Water Well Construction and Pump Installation Code.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Iosco County or township ordinance explicitly bans living fully off-grid, but permitted dwellings generally need inspections confirming code-compliant water and sewage systems, so full disconnection for an occupied home is not confirmed as allowed; ask your township and DHD#2 directly.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.2 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,222 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 31 in/yr
Snowfall: 37 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,369 (cold)
Frost-free season: Apr 18 to Nov 9
Design low: -4 °F

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital MyMichigan Medical Center Tawas: 0.3 mi
Fire station East Tawas FD: 0.8 mi
Hardware store Do it Best: 13.2 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 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 48764).

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.