Off-Grid Living in Bozrah, Connecticut

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like town by town in Connecticut, and Bozrah is a good example of how "rural-feeling" doesn't mean "unregulated." Bozrah is fully zoned, with its own Planning & Zoning Commission and a set of Zoning Regulations last updated in 2024. That's a meaningful distinction from unzoned towns you'll find in some states: here, before you build, alter, or even occupy land or a structure, you need a zoning permit from the town's Zoning Enforcement Officer.

On raw land, Bozrah's regulations define a "Buildable Area" that excludes wetlands, floodplain, steep slopes, and rock ledge. So even if you own acreage, a chunk of it may not legally count as buildable, which matters a lot for off-grid homesteaders who want flexibility in siting a cabin or well.

On dwellings: Bozrah's code requires a principal building to exist before any accessory structure can be occupied, and it only allows mobile homes as temporary construction offices or shops for a limited period tied to an active building permit, not as standalone residences. I didn't find anything in the town's regulations specifically addressing full-time tiny house or RV living, so I'd treat those as falling under these general dwelling and accessory-structure rules, plus the state building code, until you confirm otherwise with the town.

Building permits and code enforcement run through Bozrah's own Building Official, who administers the Connecticut State Building Code locally.

Septic and well permitting isn't handled by Bozrah town hall at all. It goes through the Uncas Health District, a regional public health authority covering Bozrah and ten other towns, operating under the state Public Health Code and Department of Public Health technical standards. That's your call for any septic system design or well approval.

Greywater reuse isn't addressed in anything I found at the town level, so I'm marking it unclear, if you're planning a greywater system, ask Uncas Health District directly since they're the ones who'd weigh in on any wastewater question.

Rainwater harvesting looks fine as a state-baseline matter; I didn't find a Bozrah-specific restriction, though the Building Official would still be the one to ask if your setup ties into plumbing covered by the state code.

Bottom line on going fully off-grid here: there's no single ordinance that says "no," but the combination of zoning permits, building permits, and Uncas Health District sign-off on water and septic functions as a real practical barrier to skipping code-compliant systems entirely. Confirm specifics before you buy land or break ground.