Off-grid site report

Niagara County, NY

43.0892, -78.9941 · 577 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Niagara County, NY, 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 rulesNiagara County, NY

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyNiagara County has no countywide zoning code; each city, town, and village sets its own zoning. The County Planning Board only has an advisory/referral role under state law for certain actions. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Varies locallyDwelling types (RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes) are regulated by each town's zoning code, not the county; the Town of Niagara, for example, permits single-family dwellings as principal use but doesn't list RVs/THOWs as permitted dwellings. Confirm with your specific town. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedEach municipality runs its own building/code-enforcement office applying the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code; there is no separate county building department.

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedThe Niagara County Health Department enforces the Sanitary Code of the Niagara County Health District and requires written Public Health Director approval before any sewage disposal system is built, altered, or extended; the county also mandates septic inspection at property transfer. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Niagara County-specific greywater ordinance was found; the Sanitary Code's wastewater chapter is broad, so confirm directly with Niagara County Environmental Health before setting up a greywater system.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance specifically addressing rainwater harvesting was found; state-level permissiveness is presumed to apply absent a local restriction, but this isn't confirmed for Niagara County.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedThe Niagara County Health Department approves private water supply systems and tests for coliform (not chemicals), and requires a ten-day well-water usage test at property transfer; well contractors must be registered with the state DEC. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo county law requires connection to grid, municipal water, or sewer, but a habitable structure still needs Health Department-approved water and septic systems before a local building permit or certificate of occupancy can issue. source

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): 2.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,202 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 35 in/yr
Heating degree days: 6,707 (cold)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Mercy Hospital - Mercy Hospital Orchard Park Division: 24.1 mi
Fire station St. Johnsburg Volunteer Fire Company: 5.4 mi
Hardware store Harbor Freight Tools: 1.3 mi
Grocery Save-A-Lot: 1.2 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 14304).

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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.