Off-grid site report
Adams County, CO
39.7665, -104.8173 · 5,384 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Adams County, CO, 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 rulesAdams County, CO
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyZoning districts vary by parcel in unincorporated Adams County, and the county is actively rewriting its land use code as part of the Advancing Adams Comprehensive Plan. Incorporated towns within the county are governed by their own codes, not the county's.
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedAdams County classifies wheeled tiny homes as RVs and caps RV/trailer/motor home occupancy at 30 consecutive days under county code; foundation-built tiny homes may qualify as ADUs but exact size standards are not confirmed. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedAdams County requires permits and has adopted 2024-generation International codes plus the National Electrical Code and Colorado's Wildfire Resiliency and Low Energy and Carbon codes; contractors must register with the county before pulling permits. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedThe Adams County Health Department now administers septic (OWTS) permitting directly, requiring a soils report, a NAWT-certified system design, a licensed installer, and a final county inspection. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedAdams County has not adopted its own graywater control program, so residents are directed to the state's CDPHE Regulation 86 pathway instead. source
Rainwater harvesting
RestrictedThe county defers to Colorado's Division of Water Resources for rain barrel rules; larger rooftop collection generally requires reliance on an exempt well and a state DWR permit. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWell permitting in Adams County is entirely a state function handled by the Division of Water Resources; the county has no independent well-permitting authority. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo Adams County source confirms a ban on solar-only or hauled-water living, but any structure must still meet county building code and RV occupancy limits still apply if that's the dwelling type; not confirmed as an explicit ordinance topic.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.8 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,653 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 16 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 54 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,068 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- May 3 to Oct 6
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
University of Colorado Hospital - 2.1 mi
- Fire station
Aurora Fire Department Station 3 - 1.6 mi
- Hardware store
Sir Speedy Printing - 6.9 mi
- Grocery
El Jakalito Market - 6.4 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 80239).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Adams County, CO?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 21, 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.