Off-grid site report

Dickson County, TN

36.0615, -87.3814 · 837 ft elevation

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

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyUnincorporated Dickson County has an adopted Zoning Resolution and Subdivision Regulations run by the county Planning Commission; incorporated towns like the City of Dickson have their own separate, stricter zoning code that applies only within city limits. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rule on tiny homes, Appendix Q, or RV occupancy was found; this likely falls back to the Tennessee state residential code baseline, but that isn't confirmed for unincorporated Dickson County. Ask the Dickson County Planning Commission directly.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyThe City of Dickson's Planning and Zoning Department confirmed issues permits and inspections within city limits, but which office and code edition apply to unincorporated county land was not confirmed in official sources. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSeptic permitting in Tennessee is run by TDEC, sometimes through a local health department under state contract; it's not confirmed whether Dickson County is a contract county or served by a TDEC regional field office, so a permit is required either way. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Dickson County ordinance on greywater reuse was found, so it falls back to the Tennessee state plumbing code baseline; confirm specifics with the state before installing a system.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Dickson County ordinance restricts rainwater collection, and Tennessee has no statewide restriction on collecting rainwater either.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells in unincorporated Dickson County fall under Tennessee's state Water Well Act and require a state-licensed driller; the Water Authority of Dickson County only governs its own piped-water customers, not private wells. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo county ordinance mandating hookup to water or sewer was confirmed for unincorporated Dickson County, though some Tennessee towns impose mandatory-connection rules by local ordinance; check with WADC and the relevant town hall for your specific parcel. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.4 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,347 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 54 in/yr
Snowfall: 3 in/yr
Heating degree days: 3,893 (moderate)
Frost-free season: Apr 14 to Oct 25

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital TriStar Horizon Medical Center: 0.9 mi
Fire station Dickson Fire Department: 1.0 mi
Hardware store Harbor Freight Tools: 0.1 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 37055).

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.