Off-Grid Living in North Andover, Massachusetts

If you're dreaming about going off-grid in North Andover, Massachusetts, let me set expectations early: this is a fully zoned suburban town, and pretty much everything you'd want to do off-grid runs through either the town's Zoning Bylaw (Chapter 195, administered by the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer) or state-level codes like Title 5 (septic) and the Massachusetts building/electrical codes.

Zoning and raw land. North Andover is divided into zoning districts, with dimensional requirements like minimum lot width and frontage, and any parcel not otherwise mapped falls into the Residence 2 District by default. There's no allowance I found for simply occupying raw land without a conforming structure and permits, so if your plan is "buy land, park a camper, live quietly," that's not something the town's bylaw carves out space for.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I didn't find a North Andover-specific bylaw addressing tiny houses or RV living. That means you're likely dealing with the state's general building code baseline (which includes an Appendix Q allowance for smaller dwellings in some Massachusetts jurisdictions) filtered through the town's own dimensional and use rules under Article 7 of Chapter 195. Worth a direct call to the Building Department before you commit to a structure type.

Building permits. The North Andover Building Inspector enforces both the zoning bylaw and the state building code locally. Expect a permit and inspection process for any dwelling or major structure.

Septic and composting toilets. The town's Board of Health/Health Division handles Title 5 septic permitting and inspections, applying the statewide Title 5 code (310 CMR 15.000). Composting toilets as a sole system would need to satisfy this framework; I'd confirm directly with the Health Division whether alternative systems are locally accepted.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither is addressed in a town-specific bylaw that I found. Greywater is generally folded into the state's Title 5 wastewater framework, and rainwater harvesting isn't mentioned at all in official town sources I reviewed. Both are unclear enough that you should ask the Board of Health directly.

Wells. Private wells are permitted, but North Andover's Board of Health has its own well regulations and a required well/pump application, so siting and construction get local review even though wells themselves are allowed.

Utilities. No bylaw bans off-grid electrical living outright, but the Building Department still requires permitting and inspection of any on-site power system like solar or generators, under the Massachusetts Electrical Code and state building code enforcement.

Bottom line: North Andover isn't hostile to off-grid ambitions, but nothing here is unregulated. Almost every category defaults back to "ask the Building Department or Board of Health," because the town hasn't carved out specific off-grid allowances, it's just applying its standard zoning and state code framework.