It’s something we’ve reported on many times in the past – government agencies trying to regulate Off-Grid living out of existence. Throughout the country, local zoning officials have made it impossible for people to go off the grid, in many cases even threatening them with jail time for not hooking into local utilities.
Because of zoning laws that target the off-grid lifestyle, many off-gridders have moved to areas in the Southwestern United States to escape overzealous zoning officials. But this week, off-gridders were dealt another blow in an area of the country that has become a magnet for people looking to live a more self-reliant lifestyle.
Is Costilla County, Colorado Banning Off-Grid Living?
There is a battle brewing in Costilla County, Colorado
During the last couple of years, Costilla County, Colorado has seen a huge influx in people moving into the San Luis Valley – must of who have moved there to live off the grid. A combination of cheap land, lax zoning regulations, and a community of self-reliant individuals has brought in a large number of off-grid homesteaders into the area. But that life-style is now being threatened as government officials move to make it illegal — something that is becoming a real problem for those who are looking to buy rural land.
Costilla County, Colorado Bans camping on your own Land; Zoning Officials attempt to make people hook back into the grid.
Last week tensions reached a boiling point, as a scheduled county commissioners’ meeting in San Louis, Colorado, turned into an ugly shouting match between sheriff deputies and off-grid homesteaders. The conflict comes as the county is attempting to ban camping, and force off-grid home owners back on to the grid.
Twenty-year resident Paul Skinner summed it up at the planning commission meeting, “We are residents who have come to live off the grid. It’s all our land.” … “These are harsh economic times. We have nowhere to go.”
“We’ve been regulated out of life,” resident Robin Rutan told CPR. “I came here because I couldn’t live by the codes [in other regions]”
One of the issues that is causing the biggest outcry is the county’s refusal to issue camping permits, which the county is now requiring residents have if they are living in an RV, or camp-style home. This is a big problem for off-gridders, many of whom either live in RVs, tiny-homes, or tents as they build their permanent homes.
Other changes to the code would require water, sewer, and electricity to be installed prior to building permits being issued – something that local residents say specifically targets those who came here to live off-the-grid.
Local Residents Shares why they moved to the area, and how the county is attempting to move them out.
Self-Reliant Lifestyle Being Targeted for Extinction
From the White House using race to change national zoning laws and define who can live in certain neighborhoods, to global corporations using eminent domain to steal homes, to the city of Seattle trying to ban single-family homes, there is a war on self-reliance brewing. It’s becoming harder and harder for independent, freedom-minded people to find somewhere to live without having to worry about government intrusion. It seems freedom loving Americans are under attack from every direction.
I’ve covered story after story…
- World War II veteran loses family business and land after local government uses eminent domain to claim ownership of his property.
- Andrew Wordes takes his own life after code enforcement teams attempt to steal his land to build a park.
- Off-Griders in California being threatened with arrest for living off-the-grid.
- Obama Admin Uses EPA to Take control of Private Land: Claims all Nation’s Waterways; Creeks, Wetlands, Ditches, and Ponds
- EPA Bypasses Congressional Ruling and Seizes entire Wyoming Town
My husband & I have first hand knowledge of the truth of these claims. We recently moved to El Paso county, CO in hopes of finding a small plot of raw land to homestead. We looked in all the surrounding counties & finally found a 2 ac parcel we were interested in in Park county for $19k. We called the county to inquire about zoning, permits, etc & were shocked to find out that living in an RV is out (can stay 6 mos out of a yr only), a well is around $45/ft (approx $12-15k in that area), a septic is required (no composting toilets allowed) & due to new regulations that require an “engineered” septic system, that cost is around $15-20k, & elec to this parcel would be $8500. Permits required for everything they can possibly permit for incl a building a driveway (which, again, is required)! Sheesh! We would spend $70-80k without a dwelling. No can do. We are highly disappointed to say the least. We’re considering leaving the beautiful state of Colorado but honestly don’t know where we can realize our homesteading dream. We know this corruption is by design.
we have property there ..7 acres for 8000…
New mexico
Thats where Im looking
Neighboring Teller County went to 2400 minimum SF awhile back…
As bad as everything is please do not try anything with strong-arm tactics anywhere! Do you not know that if there is rioting or unrest, this president will stay in office by martial law? Slow down, and think, reason things through quietly. Hot heads never do any good for themselves or their families.
Except those pesky hotheads at the Boston Tea Party!!! Our freedom wasn’t won with a handshake!!! It must start with action, but your right, target the problem/cause and not the result/symptom.
No matter what you do here, they got you by the short hairs. If they don’t regulate you to death, or force you off your land for re-purposing, they’ll jack your taxes up till it’s unaffordable and unpractical to live.
Maybe time to bug out to a different place…
Where would that be.. i will not leave..
Don’t leave! Claim your status! Make them prove their jurisdiction. It’s a right we all have. We are all free at Common Law-the very reason our ancestors and founding fathers fought the Revolution. Tell them you’re free and make them prove otherwise. Once jurisdiction is challenged they cannot proceed against you without first proving it. Make them tell you why you are no longer free.
I would tell you to head for our location, but ground is very expensive if you can find it. It will run you $10,000+ an acre and you have to buy 20 acres to build, unless you purchase it from family or it was previously divided. We lived in the area and were able to find a couple nice pieces in the country 15 years ago, but that took local knowledge and private land sales. The ground never hit the market.
We have land in southpark ranches we intended to live off grid on…now I’m worried we can’t ,I had heard you can’t collect rainwater in Colorado..
Yes rainwater collection is permissible. With certain restrictions..
You can only collect 110 gallons at one time
The way to beat these crazy zoning laws is to stay connected to the grid but turn off the main breaker inside your power panel box and reroute your own power (or not) and live as you please, sure you may still have to pay a small power bill each month but at least you wont have to go through any hassle about breaking the laws.
The powers that be said you have to be “hooked up” on the power grid but that doesn’t mean you have to use it.
The problem is many rural parcels are so far from the nearest utility poll, it costs $3500 + $12 per linear foot. FOr what I am looking at an area where parcels are 5 acres…many of the lots will cost $12k to $17,000 to get electricity to the house.
On you-Tube there are some awsome videos
that might give you an idea of how liberalism/
communism and war and oppression occurred
in the past, present, and plans for the future.
Speech in 1961 by Benjamin Freedman
CNN Goldman Sachs and the Matrix of Power
By: David Duke
The Untold Biography of The Rothschilds
The Coverup of Israeli Organized Crime
Organized Crime By David Duke
The Secret Behind Communism. Also by Duke
Agenda 21 is the product of the UN which was
the product of Isreal
Also on U-tube
Speech by Welch in 1958 of John Burch Society
(His predictions are all happening) Communism
There are also Agenda 21 tapes about land
It’s a sorry situation and world. I have stepped away and will watch the final end; which has been coming for a long time. Regardless of how people live, rich or poor,they do not exist to make others happy. How people live is their decision. I don’t expect my neighbor to live as I wish he/she would. My control ends at my property line. But, believe me when I say my property line is where my control starts.
Best to all.
I cannot camp on my land in Garfild county in Colorado
We are no longer free Americans. We are living in a commie/socialist dictatorship.
If you are already established on your land in a non zoned area and they establish zoning, you should be Grandfathered for which you have established. Everyone having to deal with that County should all get together, pool your funds and hire an Attorney to deal with the BS…
ever heard of Agenda 21
I thought that the idiots in Washington, DC wanted us to all drive electric cars, wanted to shut down the coal industry and coal burning power plants, because of us harming the environment and causing global warming. Here you have people living off the grid, by doing so, I would think, would be better for the environment. But now Oblubber and his cohorts want those people all back on the grid. Nothing ever makes any sense in the Obama whitehouse. These tyrants in DC don’t care anything about the environment. They are using the environment as a means to destroy jobs, expand regulations and basically make it impossible for the average Jane and Joe to make it in society and slowly destroying the middle class. Most Americans are resilient people and we always find a way to survive and make the best out of any situation. The DC commies are targeting off-grinders and preppers because these are the true survivors and when they (DC idiots) take over they want most of us to die by starvation, but they know that the off-grinders and preppers are going to present a problem for them, so they want to deny us any survivalist lifestyle, in fact they want to outlaw it. Obama and all that make up the DC establishment are enemies of the people.
I am looking into property in the area specifically because my family and I want to live off the grid, and I am looking for any information about the current policies and regulations. I am particularly interested in the regulations on composting toilets. Also, has there been any changes in the continuing denial of camping permits (which is ridiculous in the first place when you own the land)? I’ve found a few articles from late 2015, but have not found anything more recent, and I would love to know what we’re looking at before we buy. Not that we’re not down to fight for our right to our own lifestyle, but just for a heads up so we don’t go in blindly. Thanks in advance for any information you’re able to give!
All I have found is that they backed off.On the camping issue, but find out that they ticketed my place for a greenhouse without a residence.
Strictly septic, and 1250 gallons tank required
This is Rio Grande River watershed district
As long as you have a septic system they will leave you alone for the most part. All they want is money because costilla is one of the poorest counties in colorado. They broke so they trying to make people pay more and for stuff we shouldn’t have too. Im in Blanca and after the septic went in they stopped coming around.
YOU VOTED FOR SOCIALISM/LIBERALISM YOU GOT IT!
IKR?! Cherokee tribes (awesome builders) nudged ever westward, barns homes lodges and fields appropriated time after time by settlers from overseas
Hello everyone, I moved to land here 5 years ago when they started all this crapp. Said I had to pay to live in my RV, haha good luck. Was on my land for 2 days when the cops/planning and zoning came to inform me I could not stay on my own land. I did what they asked as far as something that effected others. Which was a septic system, after installing they have left me alone and I am still building my house 5 years later. I only paid house permit, driveway and septic permits. I will not pay another, they extorted enough.
As far as I’m concerned, if I am not free to live, then I choose death. But I will take as many with me as I can with me.
Culpepper Boys said it best, GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.
Land of the restricted,
Home of the extorted,
Let the slavery bells ring …
They only way this country will ever be the way it should is if WE THE PEOPLE STAND, fight fire with fire. Pain for pain, life for life. Then and only then will the system favor us, as it stands now. besides the fact cops are killing people left and right without just cause and getting paid vacation. From personal facts I can say ALAMOSA POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOMESTIC TERRORISTS THAT DESERVE TO BE TREATED AS SUCH. Martin Dominguez is a fat ass living POS. Proved in court with video he lied for 25 years of charges because he don’t like me or my words. Still got the middle finger in the air screaming FUKK THE POLICE. Wish I knew where your fat self lives. Be fun giving back.
We are pawns thats it, government has their hand out expecting to be filled , how about stop being a bum and get a job US GOVERNMENT PRICKS. USA founded to get away from taxation, yet we allow it everyday with almost everything.
Stock up on ammo.
Stick a mouse trap under your drivers seat. Let a cop search your vehicle