Can you live off-grid in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska?
48
of 100
Not recommended
Possible, but hard and costly. The growing season is about 97 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator. Rain is plentiful, about 117 inches a year. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 70%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. A garden mostly waters itself in normal years.
About 117 inches a year (30-year average)
Wells
Well depth is unknown here. Ask the seller for the well log, or price a test well, before you offer.
No well depths in the public records for this area
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 97 frost-free days, USDA zone 6a; last frost about June 13, first about September 19
Sun
Weak sun. Solar needs a generator behind it in winter.
About 2.3 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps flood zones in places
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 70%, about 280 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the ground is steep. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 4.4 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Alaska parcel, or plan the one you own
Get a free 0-100 off-grid score.
A step-by-step build plan, sizing your solar, water, garden, septic, heat, and buildings.
Is it legal here?
Zoning
Sitka City and Borough zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Alaska has no statewide building code for one- to three-family homes, so a house needs a building permit only where a city or borough, such as Anchorage, has adopted its own code. Homes financed by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation must still meet state construction standards and pass inspections.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.
Ask the seller for the well log, or look in the state's well records.
We found no public well records for this area.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Steep ground can rule out a standard system.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Nearby counties
8,282 people live in Sitka City and Borough, about 2.9 per square mile. It ranks 20th of the 29 Alaska counties we scored, and Alaska ranks 50th of 50 states.