Off-grid site report
Moody County, SD
44.0517, -96.6009 · 1,539 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Moody County, SD, 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 rulesMoody County, SD
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedMoody County has adopted a countywide Zoning Ordinance under SDCL 11-2, administered by a Planning & Zoning Board (the county commissioners) with a Zoning Administrator; land is split into Agricultural, Commercial/Industrial, Lake Park, Natural Resources, and Planned Residential districts plus a Floodplain Overlay. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county ordinance requires permanent foundations for dwellings and has separate chapters on modular/manufactured homes and moved-in buildings; exact RV/tiny-home occupancy thresholds are not confirmed, so ask the Zoning Administrator. source
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyMoody County Planning and Zoning issues building permits and 911 addresses; South Dakota has no mandatory statewide building code, and whether the county adopted a specific IBC/IRC edition is not confirmed. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are governed statewide by DANR's Administrative Rules Chapter 74:53:01 with certified installers, and Moody County's zoning ordinance has its own chapter administering septic siting locally. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Moody County or South Dakota state page was found addressing residential greywater reuse; confirm directly with the county Zoning Administrator or DANR.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance or state DANR rule specifically addressing rainwater harvesting was found; not confirmed either way.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are regulated at the state level through DANR's well construction standards under licensed well contractors (ARSD 74:02); no Moody County-specific well ordinance was found.
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo Moody County rule was found barring off-grid or utility-disconnected living; state electrical licensing through the SD Electrical Commission still applies to any wiring work regardless of grid connection.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.8 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,392 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 27 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 33 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 8,366 (severe)
- Frost-free season
- May 4 to Sep 26
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Avera Flandreau Hospital - 0.5 mi
- Fire station
Pipestone Fire Hall - 14.6 mi
- Hardware store
Ekern Home Equipment - 0.3 mi
- Grocery
Tienda Salvadorena - 0.3 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 57028).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Moody County, SD?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.