Off-grid site report
Lee County, FL
26.6214, -81.9404 · 13 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Lee 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 rulesLee County, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedLee County's Land Development Code (Chapter 34), based on the 1986 Zoning Ordinance as amended, assigns districts (Agricultural, Rural, RV Park, Mobile Home, etc.) that dictate what raw land can be used for. There's no general right to occupy land off-grid; it depends on the parcel's district. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedRVs generally can't be a permanent residence outside a licensed RV park, and camping cabins are banned on barrier islands and in coastal high-hazard flood zones per Lee County's LDC. A site-specific check with Zoning is needed for any tiny home or RV plan. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedLee County Community Development requires building permits under the Florida Building Code, and even solar/PV installations need a county permit. No countywide minimum dwelling size was confirmed beyond the state code baseline. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Florida Department of Health in Lee County permits OSTDS (septic, holding tanks, composting/waterless toilets) under state rule, and Lee County adds a local requirement that new system designs be sealed by a licensed Florida professional engineer. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedLee County's ordinance folds greywater tanks into the regulated OSTDS system, but no county expansion beyond the state's limited greywater reuse standard was found.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Lee County ordinance or health department guidance on residential rainwater harvesting was found; this is unconfirmed at the county level, so ask Community Development directly.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell construction requires a South Florida Water Management District permit plus a separate local permit through Lee County's Natural Resources Division / Groundwater program; ordinary domestic wells typically don't need a separate consumptive-use permit. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit county ban on disconnecting from utilities was found, but a legal off-grid home still needs an approved sewage system and any structure needs a building permit, so full independence isn't a permitting exemption.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,589 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 56 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 286 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida - 8.1 mi
- Fire station
Cape Coral Fire Department Station 2 - 1.5 mi
- Hardware store
Gavins Ace Hardware - 3.5 mi
- Grocery
Publix - 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 33904).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Lee 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.