Outside meters are trickier, unless you are in at the very beginning. How you proceed depends to some degree on what kind of service line you have, and what local codes and practices are. My own preference would be to have the sprinkler shut-off valve right in the meter pit, with the system splitting off right after the meter. For a deep connection, there are valves that are meant to be operated with long keys, that control the water in deeply buried lines, and some of them have a drain that opens when the valve is closed. One of those could supply the system, but they are now forbidden in some areas, because the subsurface drain opening is a potential source of contamination.