Off-grid site report
Grant County, WV
38.9903, -79.1264 · 925 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Grant County, WV, 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 rulesGrant County, WV
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyNo countywide general zoning ordinance was found on Grant County's official site; the County Commission administers a Subdivision Ordinance instead. West Virginia has no statewide zoning mandate, so absent a county ordinance, raw land use outside incorporated towns is not confirmed to be regulated by use-district zoning. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Grant County ordinance addressing tiny homes or RV occupancy was found; this is not confirmed at the county level and may fall to municipal rules within incorporated towns like Petersburg.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo official Grant County building code or countywide permit ordinance was located. Petersburg has a floodplain development permit, but that is a municipal rule, not a countywide one, and it was not confirmed on an official Petersburg page. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Grant County Health Department's Environmental Health Section issues individual on-site sewage system permits under state standards (ES-52 and 64 CSR 47), and the county also references a local on-site septic ordinance. Composting toilets are not separately addressed, so confirm with the Health Department. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Grant County-specific greywater ordinance exists; greywater falls under the same state sewage design standards administered locally by the Health Department, meaning it generally must be part of an approved system.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county ordinance restricts rainwater collection, consistent with the state's generally unregulated approach; using it as drinking water may bring it under the Health Department's water testing program, though this is not explicitly confirmed.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedThe Grant County Health Department administers well permitting under state design standards (64-19 and 64-46), and West Virginia law requires certified drillers and permits for new wells statewide.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Grant County ordinance requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities was found; off-grid living appears to hinge on compliance with septic and well permitting rather than a separate utility mandate.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.1 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,289 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 38 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 5,090 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- May 1 to Oct 8
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Grant Memorial Hospital - 0.9 mi
- Fire station
Moorefield Fire Department - 9.8 mi
- Hardware store
Orkney Hardware and Supply - 21.8 mi
- Grocery
Food Lion - 9.1 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 26847).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Grant County, WV?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.