Off-grid site report
Calumet County, WI
44.0553, -88.1656 · 902 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Calumet County, WI, 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 rulesCalumet County, WI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyCalumet County's Chapter 82 zoning ordinance only applies in the towns of Brillion, Charlestown, New Holstein, and Woodville; other towns set their own rules or have none, so you must contact the specific town. Shoreland (Ch. 52) and floodplain (Ch. 51) zoning apply countywide in unincorporated areas regardless of town. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedNo countywide tiny-home ordinance was found; RV habitation additions may need local land use and building permits per state guidance, and manufactured home communities are licensed at the municipal level under state authority. Confirm ADU and tiny home specifics directly with the town or county Planning Dept, as claims found online are not confirmed official policy. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedWhere county zoning applies, the Calumet County Code Administrators issue and enforce building permits under the state Uniform Dwelling Code. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedChapter 74 of the county code governs POWTS systems countywide, administered by the county, and explicitly recognizes privies (composting-style toilets) as permittable via a County Sanitary Permit; a State Sanitary Permit from DSPS may also apply. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; it appears to default to the state DSPS plumbing code baseline. Confirm any specifics with DSPS or county Sanitation staff.
Rainwater harvesting
Varies locallyNo county ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting was found; the county's rain garden program addresses stormwater quality but is not a collection permit requirement. source
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells follow the state DNR Well Code (NR 812); the county does not appear to add its own construction permit but runs a notable voluntary well-testing program due to local groundwater vulnerability. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Calumet County ordinance directly addresses fully disconnecting from electric, gas, or municipal utilities; this would likely surface through building habitability rules or a specific town's ordinance, so confirm with both county Code Administration and the town.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 2.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,351 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 31 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 41 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 7,649 (severe)
- Frost-free season
- May 3 to Oct 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Ascension Calumet Hospital - 2.2 mi
- Fire station
Brillion Police and Fire Department - 9.9 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 15.0 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 2.5 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 53014).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Calumet County, WI?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.