Off-grid site report

Marion County, WV

39.5581, -80.1817 · 961 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Marion 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 rulesMarion County, WV

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyMarion County appears to do some land-use planning through a Planning Division and Planning Commission, but it's not confirmed whether the county has a full countywide zoning ordinance. Incorporated towns like Fairmont have their own detailed zoning codes, so what's allowed depends heavily on whether you're in the unincorporated county or inside a town like Fairmont, Mannington, or White Hall. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find any Marion County or Fairmont ordinance specifically addressing tiny homes or RV living. This is one you'll need to ask about directly, either the county Planning office for unincorporated land or the relevant town's code enforcement office if you're inside municipal limits.
Building permits & codes
Varies locallySeveral towns in Marion County, like Mannington and Fairmont, run their own building permit and code enforcement offices, while the county itself lists Building Permit & Business Licenses and Code Enforcement as departments. Whether the county actively enforces the state building code in unincorporated areas outside these towns isn't confirmed, so I'd call the Marion County Building Permit office directly before you build. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and regulated through the Marion County Health Department, which handles onsite sewage applications, site evaluations, and water testing as part of the approval process. Composting toilets aren't separately addressed, so I'd bring that question straight to the Health Department's Environmental Services office.
Greywater reuse
RestrictedThere's no Marion County-specific greywater ordinance that I found; greywater disposal gets folded into the same onsite sewage permitting process run by the county Health Department under the state baseline, which generally requires an approved design.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Marion County or municipal rule restricting rainwater collection turned up in this research, so it appears to follow the generally permissive West Virginia state baseline.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted and regulated through the Marion County Health Department, which runs a Water Wells & Testing program including bacteriological testing, under the statewide well certification framework.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI didn't find any Marion County or municipal ordinance that directly requires hooking up to electric, water, or sewer utilities. Compliance seems to run indirectly through septic and well permitting and, in towns, local building or zoning approval, rather than an outright ban on living off-grid.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
4.5 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
2.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,244 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
46 in/yr
Snowfall
38 in/yr
Heating degree days
5,117 (moderate)
Frost-free season
Apr 20 to Oct 22

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Fairmont Regional Medical Center
5.3 mi
Fire station
Bellview Fire Station
4.8 mi
Hardware store
Chick's Bargain Center
6.2 mi
Grocery
Food Lion
5.8 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 26574).

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.