Off-grid site report

St. Lucie County, FL

27.2998, -80.2562 · 49 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for St. Lucie 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 rulesSt. Lucie County, FL

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedSt. Lucie County's Land Development Code governs all construction, use, and occupancy in unincorporated areas via zoning districts, administered by Planning & Development Services. Cities like Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie have their own separate codes. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

RestrictedRVs and trailers aren't treated as permanent dwellings on residential lots without separate approval; the county's code compliance rules limit parked vehicles and require pads for RVs/trailers/boats. Tiny homes must meet the Florida Building Code as locally adopted.

Building permits & codes

RestrictedThe St. Lucie County Building Department issues permits for unincorporated areas, requiring zoning approval and septic/sewer documentation; properties within Fort Pierce or Port St. Lucie permit through those cities instead. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic (OSTDS) systems are permitted and inspected by the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County under the state program; composting toilets aren't confirmed as an accepted substitute for occupied dwellings. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo county-specific greywater ordinance was found; the county appears to follow the state's Florida Building Code/DOH baseline, which limits reuse mainly to toilet/urinal flushing with approved discharge.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance on residential rainwater cisterns was found on planning, building, or health department pages, so this is not confirmed either way. Ask the building department directly.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWell permitting is delegated from South Florida Water Management District to the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County, which permits all new wells and modifications; single-family domestic wells are exempt from SFWMD's separate consumptive-use permit. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo explicit ban on full utility disconnection was found, but building permits require proof of septic or sewer service, so an occupied dwelling can't legally skip a permitted sewage solution.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.5 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 4.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,547 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 64 in/yr
Snowfall: 0 in/yr
Heating degree days: 290 (mild)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Saint Lucie Medical Center: 2.5 mi
Fire station South Beach Fire / Rescue Station 8: 2.4 mi
Hardware store Lowe's: 3.5 mi
Grocery Publix: 2.8 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 34952).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.