Off-Grid Living in Cohasset, Massachusetts

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and the short version is: this is a fully zoned coastal town with active local enforcement layered on top of state rules, so "off-grid" here means "off-grid within a fairly conventional permitting framework," not "off the radar."

Zoning. Cohasset adopted its zoning bylaw back in 1955 and it's now codified as Chapter 300 of the Town Code, most recently recodified by Town Meeting and approved by the Attorney General in 2018. The bylaw is comprehensive: no land or structure can be used except for a use permitted, by right or special permit, in whatever district it sits in. There's also a Watershed Resource District overlay adding extra environmental protection in parts of town. If you're eyeing raw land here, the town's zoning map and district rules, not just "is it vacant," decide what you can do with it.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find a Cohasset-specific bylaw addressing tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings. That doesn't mean it's open season, it means the general dimensional and use rules in Article 5 and Article 4 of the zoning bylaw would apply, and the Building Commissioner's office is the one to call before you plan around a tiny home or RV.

Building permits. Cohasset requires permits for basically all construction beyond ordinary repairs. The Building Commission approves permit applications, and depending on the project you may also need sign-off from the Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Sewer Commission, or Fire Department. Permitting is now handled electronically through the town.

Septic and greywater. This is where Cohasset gets notably strict. The Board of Health has adopted Supplemental Rules and Regulations layered on top of the state's Title 5 (310 CMR 15.000), including local reporting requirements like monthly pumping records submitted to the Board of Health. Title 5 inspection reports are valid for two years, with a possible one-year extension if the system's pumped annually. Greywater specifically isn't addressed separately, so the Title 5 baseline enforced locally by the Board of Health governs.

Rainwater. No town-specific ordinance turned up in my research. That likely means the general Massachusetts baseline applies (outdoor use is generally fine, indoor potable use is more restricted), but I'd confirm with the Board of Health since I found nothing Cohasset-specific either way.

Wells and utilities disconnection. Well permitting runs through the Board of Health, consistent with the statewide pattern of local health department oversight. I found no bylaw banning off-grid utility disconnection outright, but any dwelling still has to clear building permit, zoning, and Title 5 requirements, so "off-grid" doesn't mean "off-permit."

Bottom line: Cohasset isn't hostile to off-grid living, but it is a town where the Building Department and Board of Health are genuinely in the loop on septic, wells, and structures. Call before you build.