Off-grid site report
Lyon County, KY
37.0915, -88.0865 · 463 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Lyon County, KY, 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 rulesLyon County, KY
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyLyon County actually has zoning, run through the Eddyville - Kuttawa - Lyon County Joint Planning Commission, with separate zoning maps for the cities of Eddyville and Kuttawa plus a countywide comprehensive plan and zoning regulations adopted in 2021. What's allowed on raw land depends heavily on whether you're inside city limits or in the unincorporated county, so I'd call the Commission directly with your parcel info before assuming anything.
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyThe county's zoning text specifically requires Residential-Design Manufactured Homes to be connected to all utilities to qualify as a dwelling unit, and where there's no water/sewer available, space sizing needs sign-off from the Lyon County Health Department and the planning board. I couldn't confirm whether there's a separate rule for RVs used as full-time dwellings outside a park, so check with the Joint Planning Commission for your specific setup.
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedLyon County has its own local Building Inspector (Frank Wallace, with Pat Rhodes covering the City of Eddyville) enforcing the statewide Kentucky Building Code, so permits and inspections are required here rather than left to a state default.
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted but require a permit, handled through the Pennyrile District Health Department, which covers Lyon, Caldwell, Crittenden, and Livingston counties under the statewide 902 KAR Chapter 10 rules. Composting toilets aren't separately addressed locally, so I'd assume the health department's discretion applies and ask them directly. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI found no Lyon County or Pennyrile District Health Department page addressing greywater separately from septic, so this likely just inherits the state's 902 KAR 10:085 framework. Ask the Pennyrile District Health Department to confirm how they treat greywater systems locally.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Lyon County ordinance, building department, or health department source turns up any restriction on collecting rainwater for non-potable use, so the state baseline (generally permissive) appears to apply here.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedNo county-specific well permitting page turned up for Lyon County; wells appear to follow the statewide requirement that drilling be done by a Kentucky Certified Water Well driller, with no extra local permit or fee identified.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI didn't find a blanket Lyon County ordinance requiring grid power or municipal water/sewer hookup for occupancy, but the zoning text does require manufactured homes classified as Residential-Design to be connected to all utilities, which could effectively block full off-grid manufactured housing under that section. Confirm with the Joint Planning Commission before counting on going fully off-grid with a manufactured home.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,399 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 51 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,685 (moderate)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Caldwell Medical Center - 9.9 mi
- Fire station
Fredonia Water and Fire Department - 8.2 mi
- Hardware store
Cole Lumber Company, Inc - 10.3 mi
- Grocery
Piggly Wiggly - 0.3 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 42038).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Lyon County, KY?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 22, 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.