Off-grid site report
Franklin County, FL
29.7483, -85.0280 · 26 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Franklin County, FL, 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, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedFranklin County Planning & Zoning requires generally a one-acre minimum lot (100x100 ft) in the primary residential district, with exceptions for older lots of record; the whole county also sits in the state Apalachicola Bay Area of Critical State Concern, adding a state consistency review layer. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCounty zoning sets minimum heated/cooled floor area (1,000 sq ft in R-1, 450 sq ft in R-2); RVs as permanent residences appear restricted per widely-cited but not officially confirmed sources, and mobile homes can't sit in Coastal High Hazard Areas. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedFranklin County Building Department enforces the Florida Building Code; owner-builders can self-permit without a contractor license but are held to contractor standards, and a Development Permit review often precedes the building permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic (OSTDS) permitting is allowed but authority shifted from the county health department to Florida DEP as of January 2025 under the Clean Waterways Act; composting toilets aren't separately addressed for the county. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedNo Franklin County-specific greywater rule was found; this inherits the state Florida Building Code limit restricting reuse mainly to toilet/urinal flushing with approved discharge.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rainwater harvesting ordinance was found, and state law doesn't squarely address residential cisterns either, so treat this as unconfirmed and worth a direct call to the county.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted but administered by the Northwest Florida Water Management District rather than the county itself; specific procedures and fees aren't detailed on county pages, so contact NWFWMD directly.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo explicit county ban on disconnecting from electric or water utilities was found, but any habitable structure still must meet Florida Building Code and DEP septic requirements, so full off-grid living isn't clearly unrestricted in practice.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.6 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,589 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 58 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 1,390 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 19 to Dec 10
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
George E. Weems Memorial Hospital - 2.7 mi
- Fire station
Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department - 2.9 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 2.7 mi
- Grocery
Piggly Wiggly - 2.9 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 32320).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Franklin County, FL?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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.