Off-grid site report
McPherson County, KS
38.3708, -97.6642 · 1,519 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for McPherson County, KS, 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 rulesMcPherson County, KS
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedMcPherson County has adopted countywide zoning, subdivision, and floodplain regulations administered by the Planning, Zoning & Environment (PZE) department outside city limits, while incorporated cities like McPherson handle zoning within their own borders. If you're near city limits, floodplain permitting may shift to the city, so confirm which authority covers your specific parcel. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find an official McPherson County page specifically addressing tiny homes or RV occupancy standards. The county has approved special use permits for second residential units with conditions (like no rental use), suggesting a case-by-case zoning review process, so I'd call the PZE office directly to ask about your specific dwelling type. source
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyThe county's PZE office handles building-related applications alongside zoning and sanitation permits, but I couldn't confirm which specific building code edition (like a particular IRC or IBC year) McPherson County has adopted from available official sources. Ask PZE directly which code they're currently enforcing. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedMcPherson County has its own adopted Sanitary Code (from 1992) on top of the state minimum standard under K.A.R. 28-5-6, which requires domestic wastewater (including kitchen, toilet, laundry, and shower water) to go to an approved septic, lagoon, or alternative system. The county's PZE department handles wastewater and septic permitting locally, and composting toilets aren't specifically addressed in any official source I found, so confirm with PZE how they'd be treated. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI found no McPherson County-specific greywater ordinance or exemption. The state rule (K.A.R. 28-5-6) treats laundry, shower, and bath water as domestic wastewater requiring an approved disposal system, which likely restricts informal greywater reuse, but you should ask the county PZE department or check the full Sanitary Code text to be sure. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedI didn't find any McPherson County ordinance restricting rainwater collection, so the state baseline applies: Kansas's domestic-use exemption under the Water Appropriation Act generally allows residential rainwater catchment without a permit.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are allowed in McPherson County but require a permit through the county's PZE sanitation application process, and water availability (well or rural water district service) is factored into subdivision approval. Much of the rural county is covered by organized Rural Water Districts, so check whether your parcel falls in one of these service areas since that can affect your well permitting. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo official McPherson County source I found states whether you must connect to electric, water, or sewer utilities to legally occupy a dwelling. This would likely be addressed, if at all, in the county's building/zoning regulations or Sanitary Code text, which isn't fully available online, so I'd ask PZE directly before assuming you can go fully off-grid on utilities.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.2 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,543 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 33 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 17 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,100 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 18 to Oct 19
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
McPherson Hospital - 0.7 mi
- Fire station
McPherson County Fire District 10 - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Graber's Ace Hardware Store - 0.2 mi
- Grocery
Dillons - 0.9 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 67460).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in McPherson County, KS?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.