Off-grid site report

Granite County, MT

46.3174, -113.2445 · 6,985 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Granite County, MT, 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 rulesGranite County, MT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyMost of Granite County has no zoning ordinance at all, but the Georgetown Lake and Denton's Point Zoning Districts, created by county commission resolution under Title 76, Ch. 2 MCA, require a zoning permit before construction. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyA single tiny home or RV on your own unzoned parcel isn't addressed by any county building-permit process because none exists; renting multiple RV sites or creating new lots triggers subdivision review instead. source

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedGranite County does not require building permits for residential structures; commercial or multi-family buildings may need a state building permit instead, per the county Planning Department. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedA septic (OWTS) permit from the Tri-County Environmental Health Department, applying Montana DEQ Circular 4 standards, is required before any new construction in the county. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Granite County or Tri-County greywater policy was found; the state DEQ administrative rule baseline likely applies, but confirm with Tri-County Environmental Health.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rule on rooftop rainwater collection was found; DEQ Circular 17 sets standards for cisterns/water storage tanks, suggesting it's allowed, but this isn't confirmed locally. source

Private wells & water rights

Unclear - verifyNo Granite County well ordinance was found; well permitting and water rights are handled statewide by the Montana DNRC, not the county.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyWith no county building permit program, there's no found mechanism requiring grid or utility hookups, but septic and floodplain permits still apply regardless of utility status. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.7 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,318 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 15 in/yr
Heating degree days: 8,327 (severe)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Community Hospital of Anaconda: 18.8 mi
Fire station West Valley VFD: 15.6 mi
Hardware store True Value: 18.2 mi
Grocery Albertsons: 19.8 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 59858).

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.