Off-grid site report
St. Clair County, MI
43.0483, -82.4579 · 591 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for St. Clair County, MI, 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 rulesSt. Clair County, MI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallySt. Clair County has no countywide zoning ordinance; each of the 22 townships, cities, and villages sets its own rules on land use, lot size, and raw-land occupancy. Check the specific local ordinance for your parcel. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedLocal ordinances (varying by township/city) set minimum dwelling size and width standards tied to the Michigan State Construction Code; tiny homes and RVs as permanent residences face these hurdles and aren't given a clear favorable exemption in sources found. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedBuilding permits and inspections are issued by local city/township building departments applying state-adopted construction codes; there is no unified county building department. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedA sewage permit from the St. Clair County Health Department is required before installing or repairing a septic system; this function is countywide unlike zoning. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo St. Clair County-specific greywater ordinance or health department guidance was found; this likely inherits the Michigan state plumbing/residential code baseline. Confirm with the county Health Department or state code office.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found; this inherits the Michigan state baseline, generally understood as permitted under state plumbing code provisions.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted with a permit from the St. Clair County Health Department's Environmental Health Division, with state oversight from EGLE's district office covering St. Clair, Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance explicitly addresses full utility disconnection, but mandatory septic and well permitting means a residence still needs county-approved water and sewage systems even if going off the electric grid.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.3 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,250 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 34 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 37 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,616 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 21 to Oct 29
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
McLaren Port Huron Hospital - 4.4 mi
- Fire station
Point Edward Fire Department - 4.1 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 1.2 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.2 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 48059).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
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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.