Off-grid site report

Nassau County, NY

40.7075, -73.6298 · 66 ft elevation

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

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyNassau County has no countywide zoning; each town (Hempstead, North Hempstead, Oyster Bay), city (Glen Cove, Long Beach), and village enacts and enforces its own zoning, with the county Planning Commission only reviewing proposed changes. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedNo county-specific rule on tiny homes or RVs as dwellings was found; this is governed entirely by the local town, city, or village building and zoning code, so confirm with your specific municipality. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedBuilding permits and code enforcement are handled by each town or city's own building department, not by the county; the county site directs residents to the correct local office. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedThe Nassau County Department of Health regulates septic under Article X of the county Public Health Ordinance, with stricter density and discharge limits in Special Groundwater Protection Areas, and the county also funds nitrogen-reducing septic upgrade grants. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Nassau County or town-level greywater reuse rule was found in official sources; this falls back to the New York State baseline, so ask the county health department directly if you plan a system.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Nassau County-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found; this appears to default to the New York State baseline, not confirmed at the county level.

Private wells & water rights

Largely prohibitedNassau County prohibits installing a new private well for drinking, cooking, sanitary, or laundry use in any area already served by public water, which covers nearly the whole county; existing wells face backflow testing requirements. source

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedNo single ordinance mandates grid connection, but the combination of universal local zoning/building codes requiring approved water and sewage before occupancy, plus the county's ban on new private wells, makes fully disconnected off-grid living impractical to permit in most of Nassau. 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): 3.2 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,363 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 47 in/yr
Snowfall: 19 in/yr
Heating degree days: 4,859 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 4 to Nov 11

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center: 5.2 mi
Fire station Roslyn Rescue Hook & Ladder Co. 2 Station 1: 5.6 mi
Hardware store: none within range
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 11551).

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.