Off-grid site report

Carver County, MN

44.8559, -93.6166 · 1,027 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Carver 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 rulesCarver County, MN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyCarver County's Land Management Department runs countywide zoning for the ten unincorporated townships under Chapter 152 of the county code, but incorporated cities like Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska, Waconia and Victoria have their own separate zoning departments. Whether raw-land occupancy is allowed depends entirely on which jurisdiction the parcel sits in, so I'd confirm with Land Management or the specific city first. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find an official Carver County or state page that specifically addresses tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings. This is a definitional question tied to the zoning district use tables in Chapter 152, so I'd ask Land Management staff directly before assuming anything. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedIn the county-zoned townships, building permits are handled by Land Management and inspections by a contracted inspector (Metro West Inspection Services), with site plans required to show septic, well, and structure locations. Cities like Carver run their own separate building departments, so the process and requirements differ if you're inside city limits. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedCarver County's Environmental Services department runs a full SSTS program (design, install, inspect, maintain) under its own septic ordinance built on the state MPCA rules, and even offers a low-interest loan program for failing systems. Composting toilets aren't separately addressed but would fall under this same state-based SSTS framework the county administers. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyI found no standalone Carver County greywater ordinance; it appears greywater would just get folded into the county's overall SSTS wastewater design review. Worth calling Environmental Services directly to see how they'd want it handled on your site plan.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Carver County-specific rainwater harvesting rule turned up in my research. Outdoor barrel collection looks unregulated locally, but indoor plumbed catchment systems would likely fall under the state Department of Labor and Industry plumbing code as a baseline, so it's worth double-checking with the state or county before you build a system in.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells are regulated statewide under the Minnesota Department of Health Well Code, but Carver County requires well locations to be shown on building permit site plans, and the county's separate Water Resource Management Ordinance can also apply if you're near a watershed. Best to loop in Planning & Water Management if your well siting is anywhere near protected water resources. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI didn't find an explicit Carver County rule requiring or banning grid disconnection for a habitable home. It would likely come up indirectly through building code habitability standards tied to certificate of occupancy, so I'd confirm directly with Land Management or the relevant city building department before going fully off-grid.

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
1,365 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
33 in/yr
Heating degree days
8,106 (severe)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
M Health West Bank Emergency Department
20.1 mi
Fire station
Chaska Fire Station
3.6 mi
Hardware store
Northern Tool + Equipment
6.9 mi
Grocery
Cub Foods
3.1 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 55386).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

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.