Living off the grid illegal?

I am seeing more and more news stories about people getting in trouble for living off the grid. Just yesterday I read a story about a woman who built her own solar powered home and used ponds to collect run-off water who got fined huge amounts for not being hooked up to the city water and electrical grid. What do you think of these measures?

Personally I think it's just another method of government control, and I really can't believe people are being punished for using solar power and collecting rain water. Heck, I collect a gallon of it in my hair most times it rains!

 

I can understand rainwater to an extent because of the effect that mass collection would have, solar though is just a scam. That is 100% energy companies trying to slow their own death, they know the end is coming and they're trying to milk the futures market as much as they can so their investors don't murder them :x

 

Yes, I have read about those incidents happening all over the US. The city wants to collect their taxes no matter what. Everyone here should at least be hooked up with utilities and be billed for taxes or at least create a surplus and get credited for it.

In other words, if you have solar panels or wind turbine, then you should go with a grid tie system with the option of having batteries. That way the meter will always read zero, and the city will collect their 10 usd taxes a month. As for water, same rules apply. Stay connected, but use only your water.

I've heard some people are fighting the city because of this and they city has gone as far as condemning their dwelling and taking the house and property away from those that want to go off grid. Lesson here is to take what they can give you and don't think for a second that you are off the hook. If you continue to live withing the city limits you are bound by city and dwelling law. Time to move away and buy 10 acres in Montana for 30k usd, and start fresh.

 

Cities and towns have a lot of rules. Living in the country allows for a whole lot more independence. That's just the way it is. Cities can tell you what color to paint your house if they want to. Don't get me started on cities!!

 

Yep, happening more and more all over. Good luck with montana, you need some indoor heating for sure with that one Might be cheaper to dig down and start at ground temperature than try to fight off the cold

As for grid and taxes, that's what powerwalls are sort of designed for from tesla, I seriously think electric tech would've already been 20-30 years ahead of us if the gas companies werent horrified of losing their $$

 

Fireplace mate. There's a lot of wood and I can do masonry work and build a hell of a fireplace.

 

It's true, it is another method of control because the government can't make money off of citizens in it's borders who build a way of life that would allow them to not have to rely on capitalist systems. The American government creates laws that prevent you from living off the grid, local regulations, zoning laws, etc.

It sucks that it has to be that way, but the American government is pretty much a corporation that will do what it needs to do to stay in business.

 

I'm just saying like, stay indoors? lol, Been to montana once and it was just no, no please no let's leave this place forever. Couldn't even because snowfall grounded our flights...huge mess

 

I think unless you own your own property they can fine you. Like @cluckeyo said living in the country is much different. I think it's wrong to tell people not to collect rain water it comes from the sky, your not supposed to be able to regulate that. This is why most people who want to live off the grid might prefer rural areas.

 

It's all about zoning. If you own property within city limits, then they can force you to have at least a utility hook up. If you are in the country side and far from prying eyes, then it is a different zone and you have more liberties there.

As I've mentioned before, if you plan to go off grid in within the city limits in the USA, then you need to be hooked up to city utilities, but they can't force you to use it. They will collect a small fee every month for the hook up, but your solar array or wind turbine should be your main source of power. Better yet just make a grid tie system and feed it back into the grid and get a rebate check for the city.

 

I think that's basically what I said, with out the long round about explanation. But I agree people should get a rebate if they don't use most of the cities utilities.