Off-grid site report

Bronx County, NY

40.8228, -73.9124 · 36 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Bronx County, NY, 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 rulesBronx County, NY

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedThe Bronx is fully covered by the NYC Zoning Resolution, including a Bronx-specific Appendix F, with no unzoned land available as in some rural counties. Set by NYC Department of City Planning. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedNo Bronx- or NYC-specific exemption found for tiny homes on wheels or RVs as permanent dwellings; falls back to the state baseline treating them as travel trailers, not permanent housing. Not confirmed whether any city micro-unit pilot changes this outside standard permitting.

Building permits & codes

RestrictedAll construction and plumbing work requires a permit from the NYC Department of Buildings, and on-site sewage systems specifically need DOB/DOHMH permits under city rules. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedNYC will not issue a septic permit where connection to a public sewer is feasible, and nearly the whole Bronx is sewered, so private septic is effectively unavailable except in rare unsewered pockets. Set by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene rules. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedGreywater reuse systems require a construction permit and DOHMH review under the NYC Plumbing Code; this is an engineered, permitted system rather than informal DIY reuse. source

Rainwater harvesting

Varies locallySimple rain barrels for one- and two-family homes are lightly regulated under DEP/DOHMH guidance, but larger engineered rainwater reuse or cistern systems need DOB approval as a private water supply. source

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedNYC requires its own DOHMH permit to drill, install, replace, or use a water well, a stricter local overlay compared to counties that only require a DEC-registered driller. source

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedBecause septic permits are denied where sewer connection is feasible, and no official source allows a fully off-grid permanent residence citywide, disconnecting from city utilities isn't a realistic legal path in the Bronx. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.7 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.0 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,339 kWh

JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 44 in/yr
Snowfall: 26 in/yr
Heating degree days: 5,303 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 8 to Nov 12
Design low: 6 °F

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital North Central Bronx Hospital: 4.3 mi
Fire station New York Engine Company Number 83: 1.2 mi
Hardware store Lowe's: 15.3 mi
Grocery: none within range

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 10451).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.