Off-grid site report
St. Clair County, AL
33.9866, -86.2799 · 791 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for St. Clair 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 rulesSt. Clair County, AL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifySt. Clair County itself has no countywide zoning ordinance that I could confirm; county authority seems limited to subdivision road and plat review through the County Engineering Department. If your land is inside a town like Pell City, that municipality has its own zoning ordinance that overrides this, so check with the town first. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find an official county page addressing tiny homes or RV living in unincorporated St. Clair County. This looks like it falls to whatever municipal zoning and building authority applies if you're inside a town; outside town limits I found nothing on the books either way, so confirm with the county departments directory or the relevant town.
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyBuilding permits seem to be handled mainly at the municipal level in St. Clair County, and I couldn't confirm an official county building-permit process for unincorporated land. If you're inside Pell City or another town, check their planning and zoning office directly. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted but require a sewage permit from the St. Clair County Health Department before installation or repair, following the state's ADPH onsite sewage program rules. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedGreywater reuse falls under Alabama's statewide ADPH onsite sewage rules, administered locally by the St. Clair County Health Department; I found no county-specific variation, so the state's restricted framework applies.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedI found no St. Clair County ordinance restricting rainwater collection for non-potable use, so this follows Alabama's generally permissive state baseline.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted, with construction standards set at the state level by ADEM under the Water Well Standards Act and handled by a licensed driller; the St. Clair County Health Department can help with bacterial water testing. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedI found no state or St. Clair County law requiring you to hook up to public water, sewer, or electric utilities. That said, a specific town ordinance could impose such a requirement if your land is within municipal limits, so double check locally.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,376 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 55 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 2 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,149 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 2 to Nov 2
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
UAB Saint Vincent Blount - 12.9 mi
- Fire station
Straight Mountain Fire Department Station 1 - 9.9 mi
- Hardware store
Oneonta Building Supply - 11.2 mi
- Grocery
Dollar General - 5.7 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 35972).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in St. Clair 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.