Off-grid site report
Sevier County, TN
35.8200, -83.5786 · 1,011 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Sevier County, TN, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesSevier County, TN
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSevier County Regional Planning Commission administers a countywide Zoning Resolution requiring a Site Plan Permit and Zoning Compliance Permit before construction; incorporated cities layer their own planning rules on top within city limits. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyWhether Sevier County has adopted Appendix Q for tiny homes, or how it treats THOWs for placement, is not confirmed in official county sources; state IRC/Appendix Q baseline likely applies but confirm with Planning & Zoning. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedBuilding permits are clearly required inside city limits (Sevierville Code Enforcement) and via the county's Site Plan Permit/ZCP process on unincorporated land. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSevier County is a TDEC contract county and runs its own septic (SSDS) permitting through its Division of Environmental Health; no confirmed dry-cabin exemption, so state composting toilet (NSF 41) rules likely apply absent a county carve-out. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo official Sevier County page addresses greywater reuse; the state plumbing code baseline technically permits subsurface irrigation with tank/filtration limits, but this is not confirmed for the county. Ask Environmental Health directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Sevier County ordinance restricting rainwater collection was found; state baseline allows it, with plumbing tie-ins subject to code review.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWell drilling and pump installation are licensed at the state level under the Tennessee Water Well Act (TDEC), with no separate Sevier County well ordinance found; the county also runs its own water utility as an alternative for residents outside city water service. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyElectric grid disconnection is unrestricted by any found county ordinance, but going off public water/sewer requires an approved private septic system permitted through the county Health Department; connecting to gas/electric utilities (SCUD/SCES) is optional, not mandatory.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.8 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,337 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 55 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 9 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,173 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 21 to Oct 21
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
LeConte Medical Center - 3.5 mi
- Fire station
Sevierville Fire Stateion No. 2 - 2.0 mi
- Hardware store
Direct Tools - 1.0 mi
- Grocery
Kroger - 1.1 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 37863).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Sevier County, TN?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.