Off-grid: illegal in Florida?

[Quattrohead]

How exactly are we supposed to build a fortress style bunker if it's electricity can be simply shut down from the outside?

No one said anything about keeping that button connected after co ?

 

[K2mannn]

you can always move to Hawai'i. Here on the Big Island, a huge percentage of the homes on the east side (Puna) of the island are unpermitted, and a huge number are totally off grid (like me). No permits, no inspections.

It doesn't get too cold or too hot on most of the island. It rains a lot in some parts. You can get free pallets, stand them up, get a tarp, cover the whole thing.

Get an IBC tote and an old pickup to drive it to the public water spigots, fill it up there for water. Or rig up some tarps for catching rainwater and plumb them into an above ground swimming pool (your catchment tank). Dig a hole for an outhouse, Wa La! Instant homestead.

Of course, living in a 2.5 world country has its pluses and minuses.

 

[Sticky1]

Just started the install. I get a letter from the county to make sure my installer refunds the permit fee since there isn’t one for my 12k install. I guess Brevard county Florida wants Solar. Got the permit in 3 days…unbelievable for the county. Last building permit took a year and a week to get.

 

[Deveak]

This is why I like living in WV. Zero code enforcement beyond septic (loosely enforced) and building codes.

I can pretty much do what I want as long as I don’t live in a major city.

 

[bossmanjoe]

This is why I like living in WV. Zero code enforcement beyond septic (loosely enforced) and building codes.

I can pretty much do what I want as long as I don’t live in a major city.

As it should be! I'm not convinced that the majority of building code enforcement isn't just a money-grab. We need to stop simply kneeling to "authority" and do as we please, within reason. I can totally understand code enforcement if your actions can directly affect another person or their home, but I dont see how off-grid solar does that. Really winds me up hearing stories of people having to fight for their ability to be self sufficient. What the hell happened to our country?

 

[MrM1]

'm not convinced that the majority of building code enforcement isn't just a money-grab.

I would argue that the "money grab" is found in a good bit of all regulation in general, both local, state and federal . Look at the inflation reduction act. Had little to do with inflation (the real inflation number is still pretty bad) and more to do with the "green" new deal. ? Lots of new mandates and regs. But follow the money. Supporters are getting the payoffs. Everyone else bares the cost.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Been following this thread, to learn what people in other areas deal with for permits/inspections/regulations/costs in general.
It is hard to understand how 'if available you must connect to the electrical utility' can be justified. Just tell them your Amish?
To get a certificate of occupancy you need to have utility electrical ? Really? why? (battery operated smoke detectors no-longer availlable?
It is both interesting and frustrating to see in the wider view, homeless setting up 'camp' on public lands - land they don't own - and follow no codes, permits, inspections, regulations at all. For a homeowner, yes we want to be safe, no we don't want it to be prohibitively expensive, or complicated.

I read one time a Natural Gas spokesperson's comment: "If natural gas was a new energy source just discovered in 2020, it would be impossible to get it permitted to use in any jurisdiction in N.America today" - they were refering to the labyrinth of safety regulations, insurance industry, building & fire codes that exist, but were developed with gas already widely in use, and how different it would be to get this 'approved for use' if the regulations had been developed without natural gas being everywhere in the first place.
This makes me think about how residential Solar, coming on the scene 'late to the party' has to thread the needle of all this existing regulation that was not developed with residential-solar in the mix.
Hopefully we see standards in the future to simplify the most common solar set ups, in a safe but not overly complex or costly manour. -just my two cents.

 

[houseofancients]

I would argue that the "money grab" is found in a good bit of all regulation in general, both local, state and federal . Look at the inflation reduction act. Had little to do with inflation (the real inflation number is still pretty bad) and more to do with the "green" new deal. ? Lots of new mandates and regs. But follow the money. Supporters are getting the payoffs. Everyone else bares the cost.

Actually..

It had loads to do with inflation reduction, or rather getting resources and money to stay/be created locally as much as possible .
Dollar leakage was a major reason for inflation ( next to big corp unscrupulous money hogging and stock buy backs)

 

[justgary]

Actually..

It had loads to do with inflation reduction, or rather getting resources and money to stay/be created locally as much as possible .
Dollar leakage was a major reason for inflation ( next to big corp unscrupulous money hogging and stock buy backs)

The cause of inflation is expanding the money supply, which devalues the dollar. The $3T spending spree a few years ago caused the current inflation. Politicians get away with blaming it on other things because it takes several years for the effects to trickle down to ordinary people.

 

[Sticky1]

As it should be! I'm not convinced that the majority of building code enforcement isn't just a money-grab. We need to stop simply kneeling to "authority" and do as we please, within reason. I can totally understand code enforcement if your actions can directly affect another person or their home, but I dont see how off-grid solar does that. Really winds me up hearing stories of people having to fight for their ability to be self sufficient. What the hell happened to our country?

I agree…. It all started in Bridgeport ct with the land grabbing sleeve balls decided to take property that belonged to a person to give it to a developer. To this date nothing has been built on the property. (If any one knows anything different I would be more than happy to listen).

Codes really started clamping down around that time. Don’t get me wrong; codes keep people from hurting themselves (in the long run). I get that and codes are needed; however
Where there are codes there are fees. I don’t have enough time……

 

[OffGridForGood]

If you own property - then "they" can regulate all you want to do or build.
But apparently if you Don't own the property, you can build any old shanty-town Tarp city you like, no codes apply to you.
Maybe "they" are telling us to go build whatever the heck we like on public lands and not be concerned with rules regulations codes...taxes

 

[Supervstech]

How can they tell you you have to to purchase a service you don’t want

Because YOU never own property in the United states...
The city, or county municipality owns the property, and you pay property rent every year to keep it.
If you do not follow their rules for habitation, you cannot obtain a certificate of occupancy and as such it would be illegal to life on the property.

 

[cs1234]

If you own property - then "they" can regulate all you want to do or build.
But apparently if you Don't own the property, you can build any old shanty-town Tarp city you like, no codes apply to you.
Maybe "they" are telling us to go build whatever the heck we like on public lands and not be concerned with rules regulations codes...taxes

The key is whether you have anything to lose / take. Homeless people in shanty-town tarp cities tend to have low net worth.. or at least look that way.

 

[Shimmy]

I can totally understand code enforcement if your actions can directly affect another person or their home, but I dont see how off-grid solar does that.

The original issue was that you needed a backup generator to run in most parts of the country... which does have an impact on your neighbors. Other things like connecting to the sewer and public water if available were also public health driven.

That utilities have co-opted the original logic is a different issue. In most places that require grid connection, you can cancel electrical service without impacting your certificate of occupancy, but everything has to be wired up for it. But if you need to run a generator more than 40 hours a year on a quarter-acre lot then maybe that really isn't the best solution?