Off-grid site report
Los Angeles County, CA
34.0628, -118.1084 · 364 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Los Angeles County, CA, 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 rulesLos Angeles County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyThe Department of Regional Planning controls zoning in unincorporated areas only; incorporated cities have their own zoning. Always verify a parcel's zone via the department's GIS tool, not the Assessor's records. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedADUs and JADUs under Title 22 are the main legal path for secondary dwellings; permanent standalone use of an RV or tiny home on wheels is not a recognized category. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedAll construction in unincorporated areas needs a permit from LA County Public Works Building and Safety, which applies state Title 24 code plus county amendments. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic (OWTS) permitting is handled by Public Health Environmental Health under a state-approved Local Agency Management Program; plan check is required before a building permit issues. Composting toilets are not separately addressed, so ask Environmental Health directly. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo LA County-specific greywater ordinance was found beyond the statewide California Plumbing Code Chapter 15 framework; treat that as the baseline and confirm locally.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific restriction was found; the state Rainwater Capture Act appears to be the controlling baseline.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedPrivate well construction requires a permit from Public Health Environmental Health, plus Groundwater Sustainability Agency approval where applicable; shared wells need an extra Director's Review from Regional Planning. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyThere's no standalone off-grid permit; full utility disconnection is governed indirectly through the combination of building, water, and septic permit requirements. Not confirmed whether pure disconnection is separately banned or blessed.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,688 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 15 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 849 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Los Angeles Community Hospital - 5.4 mi
- Fire station
Los Angeles County Fire Department Station #4 - 1.1 mi
- Hardware store
Mission Hardware - 1.2 mi
- Grocery
Del Mar Supermarket - 0.6 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 91756).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Los Angeles County, CA?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 22, 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.