Off-grid site report

San Juan County, UT

37.6302, -109.4773 · 6,139 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for San Juan County, UT, 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 rulesSan Juan County, UT

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedSan Juan County has active countywide zoning enforced by the Planning & Building Department; a 2025 draft ordinance uses per-zone use tables to decide what's permitted versus conditional, so raw-land occupancy depends on the specific parcel's zone. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedThe county requires a building permit for new construction, moving a trailer or pre-built home onto land, or for additions/remodels; RVs are defined separately from stick-built dwellings but a specific occupancy-duration limit was not confirmed. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedSan Juan County enforces Utah's statewide construction code and publishes local frost depth, wind load, and seismic design requirements; owner-builders may act as their own contractor on a personal single-family home under state law. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSan Juan Public Health, not a general county office, permits and inspects septic systems under the statewide rule Utah Admin Code R317-4, and sets its own permit fees. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo San Juan County-specific greywater ordinance was found; the statewide rule likely applies through the same health authority that handles septic, but this is not confirmed for greywater specifically, so ask San Juan Public Health.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county ordinance restricting rainwater collection was found; the statewide Utah law allowing rainwater harvesting appears to apply without local modification.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedWells are permitted exclusively by the state's Division of Water Rights, State Engineer's Office; San Juan County has no independent well permitting role. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo explicit San Juan County statement on off-grid/utility-disconnected living was found; septic and well permitting effectively require a documented water/wastewater plan before building permits clear, but this is not confirmed as a formal utility-disconnection rule.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 6.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 4.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,768 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 14 in/yr
Snowfall: 36 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,213 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 29 to Oct 22

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Blue Mountain Hospital: 1.2 mi
Fire station Monticello Fire Department: 18.1 mi
Hardware store Redd's True Value: 0.4 mi
Grocery Clark's Market: 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 84511).

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.