[quaquaqua1]

My opinion is that sadly in 2020, most local governments will make it very difficult for you to comply with the building rules if your goal is a house that is anything different from what a "normal" house is.

Like the other commenter suggested, try with a shed, or even better, try making a tabletop model of your cabin with all the measurements and cutting scaled down from your ultimate goal.

If you do find a place to build, then great! But most likely it would be occuring in an area so far outside of town that it would be a very different life from suburb living.

Though I do know of a few people who made a house within a house....

[rwol]

I was hoping to sell the local government on it being a green building somehow, or something else that might motivate them to help with the building codes. Perhaps reaching out to universities within the region.

I think I’d like to try the tabletop model idea. I plan on having it be a second home / AirBnB spot.

[rayhendricks]

It depends on the governing municipalities. Portland allows tiny homes on wheels [https://www.portlandoregon.gov/eudaly/article/662852] on property so depending on where you are located it might be allowed.