Off-grid site report
Zavala County, TX
28.6797, -99.8271 · 568 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Zavala 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 rulesZavala County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyNo countywide zoning ordinance found; Zavala County regulates via subdivision/platting rules adopted by Commissioners Court in 2005, administered through the County Judge's office. Texas counties generally have narrow zoning authority to begin with (state baseline). source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance on minimum dwelling size, tiny homes, or RV occupancy was found. Texas counties have only limited, permissive authority (since 2009) to set residential construction standards, so confirm directly with the County Judge's office.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo evidence of a countywide building code or permit office. Texas has no statewide building code, so whether one applies here is up to the county, and that isn't confirmed. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic (OSSF) systems are regulated statewide by TCEQ, requiring a permit and approved plan. It's not confirmed whether Zavala County itself is a TCEQ-authorized local permitting agent, so the nearest TCEQ regional office may be the actual permitting authority. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyThe county's subdivision form treats greywater as part of the same wastewater/OSSF disclosure category, suggesting it falls under state OSSF rules rather than a separate county ordinance; no standalone county rule confirmed. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county restriction found; Texas's general state-level stance encourages rainwater harvesting (state baseline inherited).
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedZavala County sits inside the Wintergarden Groundwater Conservation District (covering Dimmit, La Salle, and Zavala counties), which handles well permitting, spacing, and production limits rather than leaving it to unrestricted rule of capture. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance requiring utility hookup was found. Properties inside the Zavala County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 service area may be subject to that district's separate water/wastewater rules; anything else would come from a municipality, not the county.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.7 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.7 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,568 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 20 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 1,004 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 13 to Dec 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Dimmit Regional Hospital - 11.3 mi
- Fire station
- none within range
- Hardware store
- none within range
- Grocery
H-E-B - 0.2 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 78839).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Zavala 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.