Off-grid site report
Clarke County, GA
33.9419, -83.4501 · 755 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Clarke County, GA, 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 rulesClarke County, GA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedAthens-Clarke County's Unified Zoning Ordinance covers the whole consolidated county, including rural Agricultural-Residential land; any new structure or land-disturbing use needs a zoning permit with a scaled site plan from the ACC Planning Department. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedTiny homes on permanent foundations exist but specifics aren't confirmed on an official ACC page; ADUs are currently not permitted, and ACC's occupancy rule (overnight stays over 30 of 90 days count as residing) implies long-term RV living likely triggers dwelling-unit code requirements, though no ACC page directly addresses RVs as permanent residences.
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedACC issues and enforces its own building permits under locally adopted 2024 International codes (Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Fire) with Georgia Amendments, administered by the Building Permits & Inspections Department.
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are common in the county (about 25% of households) and are permitted through the Clarke County Health Department's Office of Environmental Health under state DPH On-Site Sewage rules; composting toilets are not separately addressed on any official ACC page found. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo ACC-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county appears to rely on the state's baseline greywater framework administered through general plumbing permitting. Confirm specifics with Building Permits & Inspections.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo ACC ordinance specifically regulating rainwater harvesting was found; any related plumbing work would go through the locally administered International Plumbing Code review, but there's no rainwater-specific provision confirmed.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells are permitted and coordinated through the Clarke County Health Department's Environmental Health office alongside septic siting, with EPD approval possibly required for more complex projects; no separate ACC well-permit webpage was found.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo ACC ordinance explicitly permits or bans full utility disconnection for a residence; ACC's residency and dwelling-unit definitions suggest any long-term-occupied structure must still meet code, which typically means an approved well/septic or municipal water and sewer connection. Confirm directly with ACC before assuming full off-grid disconnection is workable.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,401 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 46 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 3 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,771 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 26 to Nov 11
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Saint Mary's Hospital - 2.6 mi
- Fire station
Fire Station #2 - 1.4 mi
- Hardware store
At Home - 1.3 mi
- Grocery
Aldi - 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 30606).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Clarke County, GA?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.