Off-grid site report
Gillespie County, TX
30.2755, -98.8731 · 1,713 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Gillespie County, TX, 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 rulesGillespie County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyGillespie County has no general zoning ordinance, but it does regulate subdivisions with a 6-acre minimum lot size for well/septic-served lots. Land in the Fredericksburg ETJ follows the city's subdivision ordinance instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official county page confirming tiny-house/RV occupancy standards was found; floodplain rules do apply safety review to manufactured homes and RVs in flood-hazard areas. Ask the County Engineering Department for anything outside the floodplain.
Building permits & codes
Varies locallyNo confirmed countywide general building-permit system for ordinary homes outside the floodplain, but permits are required for floodplain work, subdivisions/MHRCs, and right-of-way work through the County Engineering Department. The Fredericksburg ETJ follows the city's subdivision ordinance. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedGillespie County requires an approved OSSF wastewater disposal permit on essentially all property regardless of acreage, administered by the County Sanitation Department under the state's 30 TAC Chapter 285 framework. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone county greywater ordinance was found; it appears to be handled within the general OSSF wastewater permit rather than as its own category. Confirm specifics with the Sanitation Department. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county-specific ordinance was found; Texas encourages rainwater harvesting at the state level, which is the applicable baseline here.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedAll wells in Gillespie County must be registered with the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District under Texas Water Code Chapter 36; irrigation, commercial, and public-supply wells need a full District permit, and part of the county has added restrictions as a High Historical Groundwater Use Area. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo official county ordinance requiring connection to grid power or municipal water/sewer was found; off-grid living instead has to satisfy the septic permit and well registration rules regardless of grid status.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.5 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,548 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 32 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,222 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 26 to Nov 9
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Methodist Hospital Hill Country - 1.1 mi
- Fire station
Fredericksburg Fire Department Central Station - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Ace Hardware - 1.2 mi
- Grocery
H-E-B - 0.4 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 78624).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Gillespie County, TX?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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.