Off-grid site report

Washington County, AR

35.9950, -94.1862 · 1,299 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Washington County, AR, 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 rulesWashington County, AR

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyWashington County does apply zoning in unincorporated areas, with most land zoned Agricultural or Single Family by right, but other uses need a Conditional Use Permit. The county is actively updating its rules under a new comprehensive ordinance, so I'd confirm current status with the Planning Office before you act. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo building permit is required for a single-family home in unincorporated Washington County, but whether a tiny home or RV counts as a legal permanent dwelling outside a floodplain isn't spelled out in what I found. Ask the Planning Office directly, and know that placing anything in a floodplain triggers a separate Floodplain Development Permit. source

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedThis is the county's big local exemption: Washington County does not enforce building codes on agricultural buildings, single-family homes, or residential accessory structures in unincorporated areas, so no building permits or inspections are required there. That's a county-level rule only, it does not apply inside incorporated cities like Fayetteville or Springdale, which run their own building departments. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedWashington County requires a septic permit from the county Health Department before installing any individual sewage system, on tracts of any size, layered on top of the state Arkansas Department of Health onsite wastewater program. A soil/perc test is also required if you want a 911 address, which ties addressing into the septic review process. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedI didn't find a Washington County-specific greywater ordinance, so the state baseline applies: the Arkansas Department of Health generally wants greywater handled through an approved system, typically the same permitted septic/absorption-field setup. Confirm specifics with ADH's Onsite Wastewater program. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Washington County ordinance addressing rainwater catchment turned up in my research, and the state baseline treats outdoor and domestic rainwater collection as unregulated. Still, it's worth double-checking with the Planning Office if you plan a large-scale system.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWell construction standards are set at the state level by the Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission under Arkansas Code Section 17-50-204. Locally, the county Health Department's Designated Representatives handle perc testing tied to 911 addressing, and note that applying for a 911 address plus utility hookup can lead ADH to treat the property as a permanent residence subject to further review. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyI found no Washington County ordinance that outright requires connecting to electric, gas, or municipal water and sewer for a private residence. That said, going through the county's 911-addressing process appears to pull a property into ADH's septic-permitting review, so staying off that pipeline may reduce, but not eliminate, exposure to those requirements; this is my inference, not a confirmed loophole, so ask the Planning Office to be sure. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 4.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,419 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 49 in/yr
Snowfall: 7 in/yr
Heating degree days: 4,190 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 15 to Oct 20

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital VA Fayetteville Arkansas Health Care: 6.1 mi
Fire station West Fork Volunteer Fire Department Station 3: 0.7 mi
Hardware store Lowe's: 3.9 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 3.9 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 72737).

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 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.