Off-grid site report
Richmond County, NY
40.6245, -74.1483 · 43 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Richmond 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 rulesRichmond County, NY
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedNo independent county zoning exists; NYC Department of City Planning governs land use through the citywide Zoning Resolution, including a Special South Richmond Development District covering much of Staten Island. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedFoundation-built dwellings and ADUs are permitted through NYC Department of Buildings; RVs are treated as vehicles, not dwellings. Whether newer citywide ADU rules fully reach this special district is not confirmed, so check with DOB. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedNYC Department of Buildings enforces the NYC Construction Codes here, not the state Uniform code, requiring licensed-professional-stamped plans and city permit filing. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedThe NYC Health Code, not a county sanitary code, governs private sewage systems on Staten Island, with special groundwater-testing rules in tidal zones and a ban on repairing cesspools; NYC DEP is actively converting septic areas to sewers. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Staten Island-specific greywater rule was found; the more restrictive state baseline likely applies by default. Confirm directly with NYC DEP before installing anything.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo borough- or county-specific restriction beyond general state non-potable storage standards was found; confirm any NYC Plumbing Code specifics with DEP or DOB. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requires a permit for any well, potable or not, with DEP water-quality verification and a licensed engineer or architect's site assessment required for new applications. source
Living disconnected from utilities
RestrictedNo explicit mandatory-grid-connection rule was found, but NYC building and health codes, plus active DEP sewer expansion into septic neighborhoods like Tottenville, functionally push residents toward full utility connection. source
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
- 1,325 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 46 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 29 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,870 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 3 to Nov 10
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Lenox Health Greenwich Village - 11.0 mi
- Fire station
New York Ladder Company 86 - 0.9 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 0.8 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 10302).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Richmond County, NY?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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.