Off-grid site report
Franklin County, AL
34.4937, -87.7277 · 771 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Franklin 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 rulesFranklin County, AL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Generally allowedFranklin County has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas; zoning only exists inside municipalities like Russellville and Red Bay, per the county's own economic development office. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Franklin County ordinance on tiny homes, RVs, or dwelling occupancy was found for unincorporated land; absence of a rule isn't confirmation of permission, and towns may regulate this within their limits. Ask the county development office or the relevant town. source
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo countywide building code or county building department was found; permitting appears to be handled by individual municipalities like Russellville, not the county, for unincorporated land.
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedAlabama law, administered locally by the Franklin County Health Department under the Alabama Department of Public Health, requires a permit and inspection before installing or repairing an onsite sewage system, plus licensed installers statewide. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedGreywater disposal is folded into the same ADPH onsite sewage permitting framework as septic; no Franklin County-specific variance was found, so the state rule governs. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county or state restriction on non-potable rainwater harvesting was found; treat drinking-water use as a separate question for the Health Department.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedADEM does not regulate individual private wells directly; well construction runs through state-certified drillers, and water quality concerns go to the local health department or a certified lab. Franklin County doesn't appear to add its own permitting layer. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo mandatory utility hookup ordinance was found for unincorporated Franklin County, so going off-grid there appears unregulated at the county level; incorporated towns may differ and weren't confirmed individually.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,421 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 57 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 1 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,403 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 4 to Nov 1
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Russellville Hospital - 1.3 mi
- Fire station
Russellville Fire Station 1 - 0.5 mi
- Hardware store
Green's True Value Hardware - 1.4 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 0.1 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 35653).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Franklin 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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.