Off-grid site report

Umatilla County, OR

45.9174, -119.3425 · 318 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Umatilla County, OR, 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 rulesUmatilla County, OR

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyUmatilla County's Development Code sets zone-specific rules (RR-2, RR-4, FR, EFU, Grazing, etc.); dwellings on raw land in resource zones face extra review criteria, and this is administered by the county Planning Division, not individual towns. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyThe Development Code addresses manufactured homes, RVs, and campgrounds as separate use categories with zone-specific allowances, but exact tiny-home/RV-as-permanent-dwelling standards and SB 1013 opt-in status were not confirmed; ask county Planning directly. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedA zoning permit from the county and a structural permit through the state Building Codes Division's Pendleton field office are both required before construction, including manufactured home placement. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedUmatilla County Public Health administers septic permits as DEQ's local agent; the process starts with a Land Use Compatibility Statement from the Planning Division. Composting toilet rules were not confirmed and should be checked with Health. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Umatilla-specific greywater ordinance was found; the statewide DEQ tiered greywater permit program would apply as the default baseline. Confirm with DEQ or county Environmental Health.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting ordinance was located; state exemption for roof/impervious-surface catchment from water-rights permitting is the presumed baseline.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWells and water rights are regulated by the state Oregon Water Resources Department, with no confirmed additional county permitting layer; part of the county sits in a state-designated Groundwater Management Area due to nitrate levels, which can affect well requirements. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo standalone off-grid living ordinance was found for the county; in practice, county permitting for zoning, structures, and septic requires documenting an approved water source and waste disposal method.

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): 1.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,387 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 10 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,203 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 20 to Oct 9

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Good Shepherd Medical Center: 5.1 mi
Fire station Station #1: 0.0 mi
Hardware store The Home Depot: 5.0 mi
Grocery Harvest Foods: 0.4 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 97882).

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