Off-Grid Living in Sherman, Connecticut

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Sherman, Connecticut, and the short version is: Sherman is a fully zoned town, and that shapes almost every answer here.

Zoning. Sherman's Planning & Zoning Commission enforces its own Zoning Regulations, and this isn't a place where you can just buy raw land and camp on it. Zone A requires a minimum lot size of 160,000 square feet (with at least half of that outside wetlands), and Zone B requires 80,000 square feet. Any structure or use needs to go through the Commission's permitting process, so I'd treat "vacant land" purchases here as a starting point for a permitting conversation, not an end run around it.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. Sherman's regs address accessory uses like home occupations and housing roomers/boarders, and several of these require a Special Permit. I did not find a Sherman-specific rule spelling out tiny-house or RV-as-residence occupancy. Connecticut has a state-level allowance for small dwellings (around 400 square feet), but it's administered locally, meaning Sherman's Building Department and zoning office would ultimately decide how it applies to your project. Call before you build or park anything permanent.

Building permits. Sherman runs its own Building Department out of Mallory Town Hall, under the state building code. Any structure, including alternative or off-grid builds, goes through this office for permits and inspections.

Septic and wells. Both are handled by Sherman's own Health Department (Director of Health), operating under Connecticut's statewide Public Health Code. New septic systems and new wells both need review by this office. I didn't find a Sherman-specific composting toilet ordinance, so that likely falls back to the state Public Health Code's sewage disposal rules, enforced locally.

Greywater. I couldn't confirm any Sherman-specific greywater policy, and Connecticut's state rules are themselves thin here. This is a genuine gray area, worth a direct call to the Health Department before you install anything.

Rainwater harvesting. Nothing in Sherman's rules restricts it beyond the general state building code (which touches catchment systems tied to plumbing). If you're just collecting rain in barrels, this is low-friction.

Utilities. There's no outright ban on going off-grid that I found, but in practice you can't get final sign-off on a dwelling without the Building Department and Health Department confirming code-compliant water and waste systems. So "off-grid" in Sherman means self-sufficient, not unregulated.

Bottom line: Sherman is a small town but a fully regulated one, so budget time for conversations with the Building Department, Health Department, and Planning & Zoning Commission before you commit to a piece of land.