Off-Grid Living in Duxbury, Massachusetts

Duxbury, Massachusetts is a fully zoned town, and that's the first thing to understand if you're dreaming about going off-grid here: there's no loophole of "unzoned rural land" to exploit like you might find out west. Duxbury adopted its first zoning bylaw back in 1944 and has amended it many times since; the Planning Department, working with a consultant, is currently recodifying the whole bylaw, so it's worth double-checking you're looking at the current version before you plan anything.

Zoning and dwellings. The town's Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board administer district-based zoning that governs use of land and structures. Massachusetts' newer statewide ADU law has been folded into local review, and as of a 2025 Town Meeting article, homeowners can build one accessory dwelling unit (up to 900 square feet or half the size of the main house) by right in single-family zones, without a special permit. That's a state law, adopted locally. I did not find anything confirming how Duxbury treats standalone tiny homes or RVs as full-time residences, so I'd call the Building Department or Zoning Board before assuming you can just park a tiny house on wheels and live in it.

Building permits. All construction here has to meet the Massachusetts State Building Code, plus local zoning compliance reviewed by Duxbury's Building Department. Plot plans are generally required for permits, though the town waives that for purely interior work.

Septic and greywater. This is where Duxbury gets notably stricter than the state baseline. The state's Title 5 code (310 CMR 15.000) sets the floor, but Massachusetts law (G.L. c. 111, sec. 31) lets local boards of health go further, and Duxbury has its own Rules & Regulations. Locally, additions over a certain small size trigger a Title 5 inspection even without added flow, and cesspools automatically fail inspection. I found no separate greywater allowance; the Board of Health's framework treats all wastewater, greywater included, as needing to run through the approved septic system.

Wells. Massachusetts doesn't regulate private wells at the state level; it leaves that to local boards of health. Duxbury adopted its own Private Well Regulations back in 1992, modeled on state DEP guidance, and requires water quality testing at ownership transfer regardless of well distance from the septic system.

Rainwater harvesting. I couldn't locate any Duxbury bylaw or Board of Health rule addressing rainwater collection specifically, so treat this as governed only by whatever general state guidance exists, and ask the Board of Health directly if you're planning a serious catchment system.

Utilities. There's no outright ban on disconnecting from the grid that I found, but living off-grid in Duxbury still means clearing the same building code, septic, and well hurdles as anyone else. Self-sufficiency doesn't exempt you from permitting.

Bottom line: Duxbury is workable for off-grid elements (well water, ADUs, possibly greywater-adjacent systems) but nothing here is unregulated. Confirm every specific with the named town office before you invest money.