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in Puna, not seen from the road...
- more than a half-mile off the pavement
- closed gate at end of driveway
- offgrid (HELCO requires permits)
- don't complain too loudly or demand services
There are two unforgivable sins: building in the setback (get a survey, don't guess), improper wastewater disposal (use a composting toilet, don't dig a cesspool). For everything else, there's "as-built" and "it's a storage shed".
County will even use aerial photos to assign a valuation for property tax purposes -- any "crackdown" on "illegal habitation" is (mostly) mitigated by County's preference for revenue, especially when "enforcement" just creates work for people who would rather not dodge the potholes on your unmaintained "private road".
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"use a composting toilet"
Considering that you can get a bucket and lid at Walmart for about $4, and they make toilet seats for buckets
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Zone-Br...tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1521860091&sr=8-1&keywords=5+gallon+bucket+toilet+seat+lid&linkCode=ll1&tag=pw016-20&linkId=252e5cc836352913bde730532e9c2a6a
I don't know how long it takes to fill up the bucket (I guess that depends a lot on your diet, how many people use the bucket, and whether or not your employer frequently pays for your services, etc) but it seems cheap enough that you could just seal it with a lid and take it to the transfer station and then start a fresh bucket. But I'm sure there are more creative solutions out there as well.
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I use such a toilet and when I am by myself it lasts close to a week if I am lucky. Any stomach upset and it would only last a couple of days. With company here I change it daily. Sometimes then it is not "full" yet when changed. Guests are often rather squeamish and don't want to push the envelope regarding "full".
Build a nice box that holds the seat and conceals the bucket and it is much more usable. Makes all the difference.
I can't imagine taking the bucket anywhere besides 100' to a designated spot on my property and dumping it. Cover liberally with wood chips or grass clippings and it will compost nicely without any further input or anybody knowing anything.
Read an essential Life Pro Tip on the internet. Don't scrimp on buckets, buy new ones. Old ones have sometimes gotten brittle in the sun and could fail unexpectedly. Otherwise they last at least a year in continuous service.
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Bucket life rated in order from worst to best:
Blue "Walmart" bucket.
Orange "Home Depot" bucket.
White "Food grade" bucket from Walmart (same price as blue / no Walmart logo / made in USA, BPA free)
We use a lot of buckets on the farm and were shocked at their lack of longevity outside so we started writing the dates on the bottom of them. The UV rays quickly destroy the blue and orange ones. The white food-grade ones last much longer.
Bucket hint! Place a new bucket in an old cracked one to protect it from the sun's rays.
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Lua suggestion - build box to sit on.
Get an orange cone - the kine the Hwy Dept uses for traffic.
Cut the narrow end bigger.
Place cone upside down on box - with toilet seat so goes into the bucket. Cover bucket with lid and take to transfer station when full.
Ours lasts a week . We also have a code septic system and a code cesspool .
As for tiny structure - Go see Argus and have him draw plans for you to expedite the permitting process of your tiny home.
Ag sheds work but can not live in them .
Play ground exercise rooms work but can not sleep in them.
Says nothing about napping.
Build with in set backs and far from Rd so no one can see you and gate locked 24 /7 . Get a grubbing permit if gonna doze more than an acre .
If you are on Ag land less likely to be bothered.If CCnRs are in your area - then just build to code and for big EQs and hurricanes - then just go legal like the rest of us do.
Mrs.Mimosa
