Off-grid site report

Yakima County, WA

46.5636, -120.4770 · 988 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Yakima County, WA, 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 rulesYakima County, WA

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyYakima County's Planning Division administers zoning under Title 19 of the Yakima County Code, and what you can do on a parcel (including raw-land occupancy without a dwelling) depends entirely on the district assigned to it. There's no countywide 'off-grid allowed' zone, so I'd confirm your parcel's district with Planning before assuming anything. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyA tiny home used as a residence is treated as a regulated building under the state building code (site-built goes through the county, factory-built goes through WA L&I). Living permanently in an RV outside an approved park is generally not treated as a legal primary residence, though I couldn't find a specific day-limit rule to cite. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedYakima County Public Services' Building & Fire Safety Division enforces the state building code locally under YCC Chapter 13.25, issues permits, and does inspections. Any occupied structure will need to go through this office. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Yakima Health District (YHD), not county planning, issues on-site septic permits after soil testing and a site review. Composting/waterless toilets on the state Department of Health's approved list can also be permitted through YHD. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI didn't find a Yakima County or YHD-specific greywater ordinance in my research; the state rule (WAC 246-274) is the default baseline, administered locally by YHD. Confirm directly with YHD whether they've published county-specific greywater guidance.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting rule turned up in my research; state Department of Ecology policy would be the fallback baseline. Not confirmed whether Yakima County adds any limits, so I'd ask Planning or Ecology directly.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedThis is the big one for Yakima County: because the Yakima River Basin is fully adjudicated and over-appropriated (per the state Hirst decision), the county runs its own Water Resource System (YCWRS) to verify water availability before issuing a building permit. A permit-exempt well may qualify as evidence of water availability up to a capped daily amount if your property is eligible, but many parcels will need a Department of Ecology water right, water bank documentation, or other proof instead. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyThere's no standalone county ban on disconnecting from utilities, but in practice a legal occupied dwelling still has to clear the building permit, YHD septic approval, and the county's water availability determination, so fully off-grid living without those approvals isn't a real option for a permitted residence. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
2.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,385 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
8 in/yr
Snowfall
22 in/yr
Heating degree days
6,042 (cold)
Frost-free season
May 14 to Sep 30

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Virginia Mason Memorial
3.9 mi
Fire station
Union Gap Fire Station
0.4 mi
Hardware store
The Home Depot
0.7 mi
Grocery
Grocery Outlet
0.8 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 98901).

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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.