Off-grid site report
Pinellas County, FL
27.9038, -82.7616 · 20 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Pinellas County, FL, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesPinellas County, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedPinellas County's zoning code (Chapter 138) applies to unincorporated areas, with density and use set by the Future Land Use Map in the county Comprehensive Plan. There's no off-grid homesteading exemption; raw-land occupancy outside an approved use isn't an established right. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedPinellas County Code Enforcement prohibits using RVs/travel trailers as permanent, utility-connected residences. ADUs are permitted as a smaller-home option, generally capped at 1,000 sq ft (750 sq ft in flood/coastal storm areas). source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedThe Pinellas County Building Department administers the Florida Building Code in unincorporated areas, with a specific ADU permitting process; no countywide minimum size for site-built homes was found beyond that. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic (OSTDS) permitting and inspection in Pinellas stays with the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, since Pinellas is not one of the 16 counties shifted to DEP in 2025. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Pinellas-specific greywater rule was found; the state Florida Building Code baseline applies, limiting reuse to toilet/urinal flushing through an approved system.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance or DOH-Pinellas guidance specifically addresses residential rainwater cisterns; not confirmed at the county level, so ask Building Services or Planning & Development.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells in Pinellas require a Well Construction Permit from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), not the county, and are subject to district water-shortage restrictions. source
Living disconnected from utilities
RestrictedCode Enforcement explicitly bars using RVs as permanently utility-connected or occupied dwellings; for a permitted site-built home with approved well/septic, full utility disconnection isn't clearly addressed one way or the other, so confirm with Building Services. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,595 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 55 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 464 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
AFC Urgent Care Clearwater - 2.3 mi
- Fire station
Seminole Fire Department - 5.1 mi
- Hardware store
Tri-City Bolt & Screw - 4.4 mi
- Grocery
Publix - 1.9 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 33771).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Pinellas County, FL?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.