Off-grid site report

Blount County, TN

35.7399, -83.9915 · 997 ft elevation

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

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedBlount County has countywide zoning, unlike many rural TN counties, administered by the Planning Commission. Rural districts permit single-family homes, manufactured homes, and accessory structures, but other county/state rules can be stricter. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Blount County source specifically addresses tiny-house-on-wheels or long-term RV occupancy; the zoning code allows one or two single-family/manufactured dwellings per lot but that's not a direct answer. Confirm with Development Services.

Building permits & codes

RestrictedBlount County adopted the 2012 International Building and Fire Codes and 2010 ADA Standards by commission resolution; Development Services issues all building and zoning permits and handles inspections. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedCounty Environmental Health enforces TDEC's subsurface sewage disposal rules and issues septic layout permits and final inspections; no dry-cabin or composting-toilet exemption was found. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo county page addresses greywater reuse specifically; Environmental Health's described role covers septic and well testing only. Confirm directly with the county before installing a greywater system.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county ordinance restricts rainwater collection; the state baseline is permissive and the county's stormwater program targets development runoff, not harvesting. source

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWells are regulated at the state level under Tennessee's Water Wells Act, requiring licensed drillers and pump installers; county Environmental Health offers water testing on request. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo county rule requires electric hookup, but septic permitting still applies to any habitable structure regardless of grid status; water/sewer utility obligations would run through local utility districts, not the county directly. source

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): 3.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,396 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 48 in/yr
Snowfall: 7 in/yr
Heating degree days: 3,636 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 4 to Nov 2

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Blount Memorial Hospital: 2.2 mi
Fire station City of Alcoa Fire Department: 4.8 mi
Hardware store Lowe's: 1.9 mi
Grocery Publix: 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 37802).

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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.