Off-grid site report

Clearwater County, MN

47.1882, -95.2196 · 1,467 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Clearwater County, MN, 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 rulesClearwater County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyClearwater County has a countywide Zoning Ordinance with official zoning maps administered by county Planning/Zoning and the Office of Environmental Services, but cities like Clearwater, Clearbrook, and Gonvick and organized townships may have their own rules that override the county's inside their limits. Ask county Planning/Zoning for your specific parcel's district and any raw-land occupancy limits. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyI couldn't confirm from official sources whether tiny homes or RVs count as permanent dwellings under Clearwater County's zoning ordinance. This is likely spelled out in the ordinance's definitions or residential district sections, so you'll want to call county Planning/Zoning directly to ask about your situation.

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyThe City of Clearwater has adopted the Minnesota State Building Code and requires permits for most construction, with inspections contracted out to MetroWest Inspections. Whether Clearwater County itself has adopted the State Building Code for unincorporated areas wasn't confirmed, and Minnesota law makes that adoption optional outside the metro, so check with the county or your township if you're outside city limits. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedClearwater County's Office of Environmental Services administers and enforces the county's Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance under Minnesota's statewide SSTS rules (Minn. Rules ch. 7080), issuing permits and inspecting all new systems, including specific setback requirements from wells, buildings, and property lines. Composting toilets aren't specifically addressed in what I found, so confirm treatment of alternative systems with OES directly. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyI found no Clearwater County page specifically addressing greywater reuse standards. This is likely covered, if at all, inside the county's Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance text, so contact the Office of Environmental Services to ask directly.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Clearwater County ordinance on rainwater catchment turned up in my research. As a general Minnesota baseline, outdoor rain barrels are unregulated statewide while indoor plumbed catchment systems fall under Department of Labor and Industry plumbing code review, but you should confirm any local wrinkle with the county.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells in Clearwater County are governed by the state Well Code (Minn. Stat. ch. 103I, Minn. Rules ch. 4725), which requires MDH-licensed contractors except when an individual builds a well for personal use on their own land for farming or their own home. The county is served by the MDH Bemidji district office rather than any known county-delegated well program. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyI didn't find any Clearwater County ordinance that requires or prohibits disconnecting a habitable structure from grid electric, water, or sewer. If such a rule exists, it would most likely live inside the zoning or building code as an occupancy requirement, so ask county Planning/Zoning to be sure.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.6 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.5 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,352 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 28 in/yr
Snowfall: 48 in/yr
Heating degree days: 9,910 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 22 to Sep 22

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital CHI St. Joseph's Health: 20.2 mi
Fire station Elbow Lake Fire Department: 15.8 mi
Hardware store Cwikla Ace Hardware: 20.1 mi
Grocery Coborn's: 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 56458).

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.