Off-grid site report
Santa Clara County, CA
37.3696, -121.9235 · 46 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Santa Clara County, CA, 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 rulesSanta Clara County, CA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSanta Clara County DPD administers its own zoning ordinance for unincorporated areas; occupying raw land or living in an accessory structure/RV as housing is not permitted and is actively enforced as a code violation. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCounty zoning ordinance section 4.20.090 restricts RVs, trailers, and tiny homes from being used as permanent housing on residential lots, though a 'Temporary Agricultural Residence' exception and a movable-tiny-home ADU option both exist under specific conditions. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedDPD requires building site approval and permitting for unincorporated county land; ADUs go through a defined multi-department review, but a primary residence still generally needs its own building site approval. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSanta Clara County DEH administers the Onsite Wastewater Systems Ordinance, requiring site evaluation, soil testing, and permitting before a septic system can be installed; composting toilets aren't separately addressed in the sources found. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo county-specific greywater ordinance or exemption page was found; this likely falls back to the state Plumbing Code, but confirm directly with DEH or DPD.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Santa Clara County-specific rainwater harvesting rule was found beyond the state baseline; not confirmed, so check with DPD or DEH before relying on this.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWell construction requires a two-step process: an Environmental Health Clearance from Santa Clara County DEH, followed by a construction permit from Santa Clara Valley Water District under its Ordinance 90-1, done only by a licensed C-57 contractor. source
Living disconnected from utilities
RestrictedThere's no direct County rule permitting off-grid utility disconnection; it's governed indirectly through RV-use restrictions and habitability/building safety standards, so alternatives like a permitted well and septic system are effectively required for occupancy. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,667 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 15 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,001 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Jan 9 to Dec 25
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Menlo Park Surgical Hospital - 14.4 mi
- Fire station
Campbell Fire Station - 5.9 mi
- Hardware store
Harbor Freight Tools - 5.0 mi
- Grocery
Trader Joe's - 2.1 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 95164).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Santa Clara County, CA?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.