Off-grid site report

Davison County, SD

43.7128, -98.0230 · 1,309 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Davison 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 rulesDavison County, SD

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyDavison County has adopted its own countywide zoning ordinance (under state law SDCL 11-2) administered by its Planning & Zoning Office, but Mitchell, Ethan, and Mt. Vernon each control zoning inside their own limits, and Mitchell also controls an extraterritorial jurisdiction area. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyThe county ordinance sets permitted uses by district, but specific rules on tiny homes or long-term RV occupancy were not confirmed in official sources; ask Davison County Planning & Zoning about your specific district. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedDavison County Planning & Zoning issues building permits for unincorporated land; the specific building code edition formally adopted by the county was not confirmed, so ask them directly. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic systems are regulated statewide by South Dakota DANR rules with installer certification through the state Plumbing Commission; county-level permitting/inspection appears to apply but the specific Davison County process wasn't confirmed online. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Davison County or South Dakota state rule specifically addressing residential greywater reuse was found; treat this as an open question for county Planning & Zoning.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Davison County ordinance or state DANR rule specifically addressing rainwater harvesting was found in official sources.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWells are regulated statewide by DANR's Water Rights Program; ordinary domestic water use is exempt from water-right permitting up to state-set usage thresholds, and no Davison County-specific well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo county ordinance bars off-grid living outright, but zoning, any building permit, state septic rules, and state well rules still apply; confirm specifics with Davison County Planning & Zoning for your parcel. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.0 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,453 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 26 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,159 (cold)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Avera Queen of Peace Hospital: 0.8 mi
Fire station Mitchell Dept of Public Safety: 0.3 mi
Hardware store Jones Supplies: 0.2 mi
Grocery Coborn's Superstore: 1.0 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 57301).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.