Off-grid site report
Paulding County, GA
33.9334, -84.7332 · 1,155 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Paulding 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 rulesPaulding County, GA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedPaulding County has countywide zoning through its Unified Development Ordinance, dividing land into districts like R-1, R-55, ER, and MHP, each with permitted uses. Raw or undeveloped land isn't a recognized standalone use, so you'd need to work with the Planning and Zoning Division to see what's allowed on a given parcel. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county requires a minimum of 1,100 square feet of heated living area for homes, which rules out most tiny houses, and manufactured homes have their own placement and foundation rules and can't go in platted subdivisions. Long-term RV living as a permanent residence isn't addressed in any official Paulding source I found, so ask the Community Development Department directly if that's your plan. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThe Building and Permitting Division issues permits for residential, commercial, and industrial construction and enforces the state's adopted building, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing codes locally, with inspections required. Expect a private dwelling permit followed by a building permit and inspections as the standard path. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSince most of the county has no access to sanitary sewer, septic is the default wastewater solution, and the Paulding County Health Department's Environmental Health division issues the required permits for installing, repairing, or abandoning a system, with an inspection needed after construction. Composting toilets aren't specifically addressed in any county source I found, so the state's baseline health code likely applies, but confirm with the Health Department if that's your plan. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedThe Health Department's permitting covers gray water sewage treatment systems alongside septic, so it goes through the same county pathway. No separate county ordinance beyond this was found, meaning it likely inherits the state's greywater statute as a baseline.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyI found no Paulding County-specific ordinance or health department guidance on rainwater harvesting, so this is not confirmed at the county level. State plumbing code provisions would likely apply by default, but you should ask the Building and Permitting Division to be sure before you build a catchment system.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells are permitted through the Paulding County Health Department's Private Water Permit process, and any well must be drilled by a licensed water well contractor who notifies the county health department before construction. The Health Department specifically discourages using a pond as a potable water source due to contamination risk.
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo official Paulding County source directly addresses full disconnection from the grid, but since most of the county lacks public sewer, septic and well permitting is already the norm and not itself a barrier. Still, the 1,100 square foot minimum home size and building code compliance apply no matter your utility hookup status, and there's no confirmed exemption for going fully off-grid, so check with Planning and Zoning and the Health Department directly.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,364 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 53 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 4 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,318 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 7 to Nov 1
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Ridgeview Institute - Smyrna - 13.7 mi
- Fire station
Cobb County Fire Station 13 - 2.8 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 9.5 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 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 30127).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Paulding 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.