Off-grid site report

Santa Fe County, NM

35.6526, -105.9972 · 6,693 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Santa Fe County, NM, 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 rulesSanta Fe County, NM

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSanta Fe County has countywide zoning under its Sustainable Land Development Code (SLDC), adopted by Ordinance 2016-9; every unincorporated parcel sits in a base zoning district, sometimes with an overlay. This applies only outside the cities, Pueblo lands, and the separate extraterritorial SPPaZo zone. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs, yurts, tents, and mobile tiny homes are classified as 'camping' uses, not standard dwellings, and treatment varies by zoning district (permit, conditional use, or prohibited). ADUs are allowed under SLDC Section 10.4 but capped at 50% of the main home's floor area and under 1,400 square feet. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedAll building and development in unincorporated Santa Fe County requires a development permit under the SLDC, which adopts state minimum building codes; NM Construction Industries Division handles inspections and the Certificate of Occupancy. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems, including composting toilets and alternative wastewater systems, are permitted and regulated primarily by the New Mexico Environment Department statewide; at least one county planning-area ordinance explicitly allows composting toilets and greywater split-systems if they meet NMED rules. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedGreywater reuse is governed by the state NMED rule; no additional Santa Fe County restriction was confirmed beyond the composting-toilet/alternative-system ordinance language. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedSanta Fe County actually requires rainwater catchment systems for all commercial and residential development under Ordinance 2003-6, including a water harvesting plan submitted with building permit applications for small residential projects, going beyond the state's general encouragement of rainwater harvesting. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedThe state Office of the State Engineer issues well permits statewide, but within the county water utility's service area, Santa Fe County also requires a separate domestic well permit from the utility Administrator, who can deny it if hookup to county water is mandated instead. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo specific Santa Fe County ordinance mandating utility hookup was confirmed, but because RVs and tiny-homes-on-wheels are classified only as camping uses rather than dwellings, and development broadly requires SLDC permits, full-time off-grid occupancy outside a conventional permitted home is functionally constrained; confirm directly with county Building and Development Services. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
6.5 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
5.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,827 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
14 in/yr
Snowfall
23 in/yr
Heating degree days
5,870 (cold)
Frost-free season
May 13 to Oct 6

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Christus Saint Vincent Regional Medical Center
2.9 mi
Fire station
Santa Fe Fire Station #7
0.7 mi
Hardware store
The Home Depot
0.3 mi
Grocery
El Paisano Supermarket 1
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 87507).

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.