Off-Grid Living in Avon, Connecticut

I've been digging into what it would actually take to live off-grid in Avon, Connecticut, and the short version is: Avon is a fully zoned town, so "just buying land and doing your own thing" isn't really on the table here without running into the Planning & Zoning Commission's rules.

Zoning. Avon's Planning & Zoning Commission regulates land use under authority granted by the Connecticut General Statutes, and the town's Zoning Regulations (rewritten as of October 23, 2025) only permit uses that show up in the Consolidated Use Table. Anything not listed is prohibited unless the Commission decides it's compatible with the district. So raw land occupancy, camping full-time, parking a camper as a residence, that kind of thing, is going to run into restrictions unless you find a use that fits.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. The new regulations have a section on "Special Development Types & Additional Standards," but I couldn't confirm specific rules for tiny homes or RVs used as permanent dwellings in what I reviewed. This is a case where you really need to call the Planning & Zoning office directly before you buy anything or move a structure onto a lot.

Building permits. Avon's Building Department enforces the Connecticut State Building and Fire Safety Codes on all buildings and structures in town, full stop. Any structure you build is going to go through that process.

Septic and wells. Here's something worth knowing: Avon doesn't handle septic and well approvals itself. That job belongs to the Farmington Valley Health District (FVHD), a regional health authority covering Avon and neighboring towns. You'll need to complete FVHD's Location Approval Packet for a septic system or well. I didn't find anything confirming composting toilets as an accepted standalone alternative in FVHD's materials, so don't assume that route is open without checking first.

Greywater. I couldn't find an Avon or FVHD ordinance that spells out household greywater reuse one way or the other. This one's genuinely unclear, so ask FVHD directly.

Rainwater harvesting. No Avon-specific restriction turned up in my research. The state building code's provisions on rainwater systems apply as the baseline, and Avon's Building Department would administer any permit tied to an installation.

Utility disconnection. There's no outright ban on going off-grid utility-wise that I found, but occupancy approval still runs through the Building Department's code compliance and FVHD's well/septic sign-off, since "Well & Septic Approval" is listed as a required permit category on Avon's own site.

Bottom line: Avon is not the town for quietly disappearing off-grid. It's a regulated New England town where zoning, building code, and a regional health district all have a say before you can legally live somewhere.