Finding the perfect plot of land in Cochise County for your off-grid home comes with its own set of challenges. These are a few topics to consider before purchasing land for your off-grid homestead.
Zoning
If you are planning to build your own home through alternative methods or want to avoid the costs associated with traditional permits you need to ensure that your land is zoned RU-4 or higher. You can only apply for an Opt-Out permit in RU-zoned land.
Often real estate listings state what the zoning for a parcel is, but it’s always a good idea to double-check here. If you find the perfect parcel that is at least 4 acres in size but not zoned RU, you may be able to get the land rezoned. Find out more about the rezoning process here.
Flood Zone
While Cochise County is mostly high desert, flooding is a major concern during some portions of the year. When it rains, it really does pour! Therefore when searching for your perfect parcel you need to consider where the property sits in relation to washes and the flood zone. Most washes are dry the majority of the year but during monsoon season can swell and cause flash floods quite quickly. Water only one foot deep can exert up to 500lbs in force as it rushes by, tipping vehicles and structures that stand in the way.
Most real estate listings will state if a property is in the flood plain. Most real estate agents can also provide a detailed flood plain map of a property to show exactly what portions of a parcel are in danger of flooding. This is very helpful in determining where to build. In addition, flood insurance may be necessary for lenders if you are borrowing to buy the land/home.
For more information on flood plains including how to get your property removed from the flood plain if you believe it should be, go here.
Water
Water is a major concern for homesteaders in Cochise County. There are a few ways to obtain a steady supply of water for your property all with different limitations and costs involved. Many who are new to living off-grid don’t think about water until they are already on their property but it can be useful to consider your options when you are looking for the right piece of land.
The three major ways to get drinking water to your off-grid property in Cochise County are through drilling a well, collecting rainwater, or hauling water. We talk more indepth about all of these options on our Water page but for now here are a few things to consider when it comes to looking for land.
Wells: The cost of drilling a well is directly related to how deep you have to go to find water. Different areas of Cochise County have very different water depths. Some people still have static water levels around 100ft while others are closer to 800ft or more. That’s a big cost difference! The water quality in different regions also varies as does how quickly the water levels change (ie how many ft the water levels drop in the aquifer per year). Some areas have seen little to no change in the past 20 years while others see a mutiple feet drop per year. If a well is anywhere in your future plans, finding out about the water in your area is a must before buying.
Rain Water Collection: If you are planning to set up a rain roof elsewhere on the property before any buildings are done it is better if the rain roof is elevated from where the water tanks will be. Find out more about rain roofs and water collection here.
Hauling Water: Whether you are planning to haul your own water from a municipal source, or pay to have water hauled to your property the water tanks will need to not only be near your building site but accessible for a vehicle to get to it regularly.
Find more details about all things water in Cochise County here.
Privacy/ Proximity
While Cochise County is mostly rural, there are still privacy issues to consider especially if you are attempting to find land online without actually viewing the property in person. While acreage is much higher than most city lots having a neighbor build right on your property line close to your build site can make you feel like you are living in the city again. Depending on your priorities you may want to consider the proximity to neighboring property lines, homes, and roads when looking for the right property and home build site.
Another important consideration is your proximity to amenities and necessities. How far will it be to a gas station, grocery store, hardware store, big box store, or highway? This varies drastically depending on where you are in Cochise County and is an important consideration when looking for land.
Road Access
In Cochise County, an important question to ask is what is the road surface and who maintains the road? While some roads are paved and county maintained, many are not. This means that your property may be on a rough dirt road that is only maintained by neighbors or by no one at all. This is an important consideration for later when you are trying to transport materials to your homestead.
In addition, there are many parcels in Cochise County that don’t even have a road leading up to them at all! This may be because the road has not been used for 25+ years and is majorly overgrown, or it may never have been cut in! In AZ easements will be enforced so that no parcel is land-locked but this is something to consider when looking at parcels as more time, money, and research may be involved.
You may also want to see if any washes cross the main road leading to your property (this could mean being trapped during monsoon) and if there is already a driveway cut into the parcel or if that is something you would have to prioritize early on, in order to even setup on the property.
Building Site
Once you have found what might be the perfect piece of land it’s important to consider where you want to place your homesite. Factors to consider include county-mandated setbacks, views, privacy (where other people could build in the future), any driveways or access points already established, septic requirements, water placement, washes and flood zones, permaculture for any plans for planting/gardening, and the location of any utilities if you are not planning to live fully off-grid. All of these factors should contribute to the perfect placement for your off-grid home.
Address
Many parcels in Cochise County do not have an address. In order to apply for an address, you need to have both your septic permit and opt-out permit in place. This can mean long delays in getting mail and packages delivered and is something to keep in mind. Find out how to apply for an address here.