Off-grid site report
Bland County, VA
37.0991, -81.1160 · 2,507 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Bland County, VA, 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 rulesBland County, VA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyBland County has a countywide zoning ordinance (Chapter 62) administered by the Planning Commission and Building, Planning, and Zoning Department, but specific setbacks and lot standards vary by parcel and aren't in a simple published table. Confirm with the zoning administrator for your specific land. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyThe county ordinance addresses manufactured homes specifically, and state law (Va. Code §15.2-2290) limits how restrictively Bland County can treat qualifying manufactured homes. Whether RVs or tiny houses on wheels can be used as a primary residence is not confirmed; ask the zoning office. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedBland County has no separate local building code; its Building Official enforces Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), meaning permits and inspections are mandatory. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Bland County Health Department, part of the Mount Rogers Health District, issues septic permits under statewide VDH onsite sewage rules; applications now require a licensed private-sector consultant per a statewide VDH change. No separate county composting toilet ordinance was found, so the state baseline applies. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo Bland County-specific greywater ordinance was found; the state's VDH rules, administered locally by the health department, apply as the baseline. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific rainwater ordinance was found; VDH administers statewide rainwater harvesting permits and registration, and that state baseline applies in Bland County. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedThe Bland County Health Department issues private well permits following Virginia's statewide well regulations; no separate county well ordinance was found. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Bland County ordinance explicitly requiring grid, public water, or sewer connection was found, but occupancy still practically requires an approved septic/well system and a USBC-based building permit or certificate of occupancy. Whether the county adds any further utility-connection condition is not confirmed; ask the Building, Planning, and Zoning Department.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.8 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,303 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 40 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 27 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,653 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 7 to Oct 4
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Wythe County Community Hospital - 10.0 mi
- Fire station
Bland County Volunteer Fire Department - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 9.8 mi
- Grocery
Grant's Supermarket - 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 24315).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Bland County, VA?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.