Off-grid site report

Winona County, MN

44.0500, -91.6392 · 666 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Winona County, MN, 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 rulesWinona County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedWinona County Planning & Environmental Services administers countywide zoning outside cities, with a rule since 1989 allowing one non-farm dwelling per quarter-quarter section. Saratoga, St. Charles, Utica, and Wilson townships administer zoning separately. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official county page confirms whether tiny homes or RVs count as permanent dwellings under the zoning ordinance; this is not confirmed and needs a direct answer from Planning & Environmental Services.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyThe county issues zoning certificates and certificates of compliance, but I found no countywide building-code adoption page; the City of Winona has its own separate code that only applies inside city limits. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedWinona County Planning & Environmental Services runs its own SSTS program under authority delegated from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and state law requires county SSTS programs to meet or exceed state standards. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone county greywater ordinance was found; it's likely handled within the SSTS/septic review process, but this is not confirmed, so ask Planning & Environmental Services.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater catchment rule was found; indoor plumbed systems likely fall under the statewide plumbing code, but this is not confirmed at the county level.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWinona County is one of a handful of Minnesota jurisdictions with a delegated well program, so the county, not the state Department of Health, handles well permitting and inspection here. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Winona County ordinance addressing mandatory electric grid connection was found; any electrical work falls under the statewide DLI electrical inspector program, but full grid disconnection isn't addressed and should be confirmed with the county.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
4.7 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
2.8 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,379 kWh
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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
35 in/yr
Snowfall
32 in/yr
Heating degree days
6,888 (cold)
Frost-free season
Apr 21 to Oct 14

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Community Memorial Hospital
1.4 mi
Fire station
Winona Fire Department
0.7 mi
Hardware store
Burggraf's Ace Hardware
0.4 mi
Grocery
Midtown Foods
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 55942).

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.