Court in Florida Rules Off-Grid Living is Illegal

A story several months ago caught the attention of many news outlets around the world, especially the attention of the off-grid community. Living off the grid was ruled to be illegal in Cape Coral, Florida, according to a court ruling back in February.

The Special Magistrate, Harold S. Eskin, gave a ruling that the city’s ordinance and codes allow Robin Speronis to live without utility power. But there’s one caveat. She is still required to have her home connected to the city’s water system. Plus, her alternative source of power must be approved by the city, Eskin said.

Speronis has been fighting the city of Cape Coral since around November, 2013, when a code enforcement officer attempted to evict her from her home for living without standard utilities. The city states that Speronis violated the International Property Maintenance Code by relying on rain water instead of the city water system and solar panels instead of the electric grid.  Be sure to check out options like https://domyhomework123.com/law as well.

“It was a mental fistfight,” Speronis’ attorney Todd Allen said of Eskin’s review of his clients’ case. “There’s an inherent conflict in the code.” Part of the conflict: She must hook up to the water system, although officials acknowledge she does not have to use it.

What do you think? This seems to be completely ridiculous and absurd to think that you have to be forced to be hooked to a city system you do not use. This would also seem to set a precedent for other cities to force the same thing to the people who live there.