Off-grid site report

Shelby County, TN

35.2470, -89.9956 · 259 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Shelby 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 rulesShelby County, TN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedUnincorporated Shelby County is covered by the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code, administered by the Division of Planning and Development, not a no-zoning county. Confirm the parcel's district and whether Conservation Agriculture or another category applies. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Shelby County page was found confirming tiny-home-on-wheels or RV occupancy rules; ask Construction Code Enforcement directly.

Building permits & codes

RestrictedShelby County's Office of Construction Code Enforcement requires permits and contractor registration for construction work; scope of work may require MPE drawings. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedThe Shelby County Health Department requires a permit for constructing, altering, or repairing any subsurface sewage disposal system, with site inspections required for repairs. No composting-toilet exemption is documented, so state NSF-41 baseline likely applies. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Shelby County-specific greywater ordinance or guidance was found; this appears to default to the state plumbing code baseline. Confirm with the Health Department's Water Quality Branch.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county ordinance restricting rainwater collection was found, so the generally permissive state baseline appears to apply.

Private wells & water rights

RestrictedShelby County runs its own well program through the Health Department's Water Quality Branch and a Ground Water Quality Control Board, requiring permits for well construction, repair, or abandonment, plus proof a utility can't serve the property for production wells.

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyMLGW, the Memphis-owned municipal utility, serves electric, gas, and water in Shelby County; going without public water or sewer means going through the county's septic and well permitting programs rather than a simple disconnect.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.0 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,420 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 54 in/yr
Snowfall: 3 in/yr
Heating degree days: 3,166 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Mar 23 to Nov 11

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Methodist North Hospital: 5.9 mi
Fire station Fire Station 28: 5.0 mi
Hardware store The Home Depot: 6.0 mi
Grocery Kroger: 2.0 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 38127).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.