Off-grid site report
Butler County, AL
31.8506, -86.6438 · 479 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Butler County, AL, 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 rulesButler County, AL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyButler County has no countywide zoning ordinance, since Alabama counties generally lack zoning power except in narrow cases. Zoning only exists inside incorporated towns like Greenville, Georgiana, Fort Deposit, and McKenzie, so I'd check with the specific town hall if the land sits inside those limits, and assume unzoned status if it's out in the county. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI found no Butler County rule on tiny homes, RVs, or minimum dwelling size. This would fall to whatever municipal code applies if the land is inside a town, and unincorporated land seems to have nothing on the books, but confirm with the relevant town hall.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyThere's no Butler County building department or permit portal that I could find, and Alabama has no mandatory statewide residential building code, so unincorporated land likely has no permit requirement. Any permit rule would come from a town's own adopted building code, so check with Greenville, Georgiana, Fort Deposit, or McKenzie directly if you're inside their limits. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and administered by the Butler County Health Department under the statewide ADPH framework, and you'd need to submit an Application for a Permit to Install an Onsite Sewage Disposal System before construction begins. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedGreywater reuse is handled under the same statewide ADPH onsite sewage rules, with no separate Butler County ordinance found. The Butler County Health Department administers this program locally. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedI found no Butler County ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting, so this appears permitted by default with no state or county rule against it.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted, with well construction handled by a licensed driller under ADEM rules as the state baseline, while the Butler County Health Department offers private well water testing services locally. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedI found no countywide ordinance requiring hookup to public water, sewer, or electric utilities. If your land is inside a town, though, check with that specific municipality since town rules could differ.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.3 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,403 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 57 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,455 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 31 to Nov 8
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama - 1.5 mi
- Fire station
Greenville Fire Department - 1.9 mi
- Hardware store
Highland Home Hardware - 20.9 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.2 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 36037).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Butler County, AL?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.
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