Off-grid site report

Boone County, WV

37.9504, -81.7132 · 846 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Boone County, WV, 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 rulesBoone County, WV

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyWest Virginia doesn't require counties to adopt zoning. No official Boone County zoning ordinance or planning department page was found, so it's not confirmed whether the county has zoning at all; incorporated towns may have separate rules.

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Boone County ordinance on tiny homes, RVs, or minimum dwelling size was found. Not confirmed at the county level.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyWest Virginia's State Building Code is optional for localities to adopt, and it's not confirmed whether Boone County has adopted it or requires building permits. Ask the County Commission. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedThe Boone County Health Department issues septic and general sanitation permits under West Virginia DHHR's General Sanitation Rule (64CSR18); septic tank seals are registered through the state DEP. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Boone County-specific greywater rule was found; it inherits the state baseline requiring greywater disposal to be part of an approved sewage design reviewed by DHHR's Bureau for Public Health and the county health department.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo state or Boone County restriction on rainwater collection was found in this research.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells fall under West Virginia's statewide Water Well Certification Program, DHHR oversight, implemented locally by the Boone County Health Department; a commonly cited 100-foot setback figure could not be confirmed on an official page.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo statute or county ordinance requiring utility hookups was found, but this is not confirmed at the county level absent a known zoning or building ordinance.

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): 2.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,244 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 48 in/yr
Snowfall: 19 in/yr
Heating degree days: 4,609 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 17 to Oct 25

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Boone Memorial Hospital: 8.4 mi
Fire station Wharton-Barrett Volunteer Fire Department: 4.1 mi
Hardware store Byrnside Hardware: 11.1 mi
Grocery Boone County Foodland: 9.5 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 25028).

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.