35 acres or more allows you to drill a well. As water is essential to survival, to me, this - an a tappable water table under the property, or a working well already ON the property - defines the lower boundary.
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You can have a pre-existing well, or a "household use only" (read: can't irrigate, water your yard, or provide for livestock) well on less than 35 acres, but last time I checked state law (I actually found the law online one time) it stated 35 acres or more to drill a new well. For me, I'd want to be able to irrigate, water my yard, and provide at least my dogs and/or livestock, so a limited well wouldn't do.
Another option is "non-exempt" wells. A lot wells that were dug before a certain time allowed outside use. I think it was 1978 or 1979. It doesn't mean all of them older than that will let you though. A neighbor of mine has less than one acre, but the original well on his property allowed for outside use, and when he got his new well dug, the non-exempt status carried over and he can do whatever he wants.
There are tons of lots smaller than 35 acres for sale that allow you to build and dig a well. The only issue you might have is that on smaller lots (sub one acre) you might not be able to get a permit for a septic system. I have seen little half acre lots where people couldn't put in a septic system because the lot is so small they couldn't get the leach field far away enough from the well or a neighbors well to get permitted.
Good to know! Methinks your title needs updating. :D
Speaking of Off-Grid. http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...#ixzz2pTiWU1dg
Bumping my own thread
the lady and I have been thinking long and hard about a tiny house. Please talk me out of building a 20K tiny house over the next two years.
Have you watched Tiny, A Story About Living Small, on Netflix already?
If you build a tiny house, you can spend way more money on land AND have a suitable place to live while you build something bigger. If not a bigger house, than a huge work shop. We're all about container homes.