Off-grid site report

Carter County, TN

36.3389, -82.2076 · 1,545 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Carter 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 rulesCarter County, TN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedCarter County has countywide zoning administered by its Planning & Zoning Office and Regional Planning Commission, with eleven district classes; land use is restricted to what's expressly permitted in each district. This is a county-level rule, not a state default. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCarter County reportedly adopted a specific tiny-home standard (200-400 sq ft, foundation required), per county officials cited in local news, though I could not verify the exact text on an official county page. RV or long-term dwelling rules were not confirmed; call the county Planning & Zoning Office to check current standards. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedCarter County's Planning Office reviews and issues residential building permits, requiring items like a driveway connection agreement and proof of septic permitting. This is a county-administered process, not optional. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic systems require a state permit issued by TDEC (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation) under its subsurface sewage disposal rules, handled through the Johnson City field office rather than a county health department. No county-specific composting toilet exemption was found. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Carter County ordinance on greywater reuse was found; it defers to the state's general septic/plumbing framework administered by TDEC, which itself is not clearly settled. Ask TDEC's Johnson City field office for a direct answer.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Carter County ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting was found; the state's generally permissive stance appears to apply.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedPrivate wells are permitted but regulated at the state level by TDEC's Division of Water Resources under the Tennessee Safe Drinking Water Act; Carter County has no separate well authority and routes residents to TDEC's Johnson City field office. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo Carter County ordinance mandating hookup to public utilities was found for unincorporated areas, so grid disconnection appears unrestricted there. Inside incorporated towns like Elizabethton, which runs its own building/codes department, mandatory connection rules may differ.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
4.8 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
3.6 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,337 kWh
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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
45 in/yr
Snowfall
11 in/yr
Heating degree days
4,387 (moderate)
Frost-free season
Apr 19 to Oct 21

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Sycamore Shoals Hospital
2.4 mi
Fire station
Elizabethton Fire Department
0.7 mi
Hardware store
Ace Hardware
0.5 mi
Grocery
Food City
0.9 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 37643).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

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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.