Off-grid site report

Marshall County, TN

35.4696, -86.7906 · 768 ft elevation

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

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedMarshall County administers its own countywide Zoning Ordinance through the Planning & Zoning Official, covering rural, agricultural, and commercial districts. Check the zoning map and district rules for your specific parcel before planning. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyThe county enforces the 2018 IBC/IRC for structures, but whether it has adopted Appendix Q for tiny homes or how it treats RVs/tiny-houses-on-wheels for permanent occupancy is not confirmed. Ask the Building/Codes Official directly. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedMarshall County has its own Building/Codes Official and requires permits and inspections under the adopted 2018 IRC, unlike counties that opt out of code enforcement. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSeptic permitting is a Tennessee state program (TDEC, under Title 68 Chapter 221) usually administered through local health departments; no Marshall County-specific septic office page was confirmed, so start with the state portal. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Marshall County ordinance on greywater reuse was found; this falls back to the Tennessee state baseline, where enforcement is inconsistent. Not confirmed at the county level.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo county restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; this follows Tennessee's generally permissive state baseline.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells are regulated statewide under the Tennessee Water Well Act with TDEC setting construction standards; Marshall County also offers its public utility (MCBPU) as an alternative to drilling, but that's a service, not a well regulator. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo Marshall County ordinance mandating hookup to the county water utility or sewer was found; this inherits the Tennessee state baseline, where electric disconnection is largely unrestricted but water/sewer disconnection can be complicated if service is accessible. 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): 3.5 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,407 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 55 in/yr
Snowfall: 2 in/yr
Heating degree days: 4,049 (moderate)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Marshall Medical Center: 0.4 mi
Fire station Chapel Hill Fire Department: 12.2 mi
Hardware store Chapel Hill Hardware: 11.9 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.1 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 37091).

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.