Off-grid site report
Clark County, KY
37.9886, -84.1883 · 1,011 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Clark County, KY, 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 rulesClark County, KY
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedClark County has an adopted zoning code (Chapter 155), jointly administered with the City of Winchester, covering agricultural, residential, planned development, and manufactured home districts. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedManufactured/mobile homes are steered into a dedicated Mobile Home District with acreage minimums and Planning Commission approval; tiny homes on wheels are generally treated as RVs, not confirmed as a specific county ordinance. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedKentucky's statewide building code is enforced locally by the Winchester/Clark County building department, with the state Division of Housing, Buildings and Construction as backstop for uncovered project types. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems require permits under Kentucky's Household Sewage Treatment System Program, administered locally by the Clark County Health Department; composting toilets aren't separately addressed at the county level. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Clark County-specific greywater ordinance was found; this likely falls under the state's 902 KAR 10:085 framework, administered by the Clark County Health Department, but not confirmed locally.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance on rainwater harvesting was found; Kentucky's general allowance for non-potable rainwater collection likely applies absent local restriction, but this is not confirmed for Clark County specifically.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted, and the Clark County Health Department offers water sampling, analysis, and inspections tied to real estate transactions, consistent with state certified-driller rules.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit Clark County ordinance requires connection to grid power or municipal utilities, though manufactured home park rules reference utility standards, which could indirectly discourage full disconnection; confirm directly with Planning. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,353 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 49 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,765 (moderate)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Centerpoint Health - Winchester - 2.2 mi
- Fire station
Lexington Fire Station #23 - 9.2 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 1.7 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 1.2 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 40392).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Clark County, KY?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.