Off-grid site report
Cherokee County, TX
31.7960, -95.1502 · 548 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Cherokee 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 rulesCherokee County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Generally allowedTexas counties, including Cherokee County, lack general zoning power over unincorporated land under state law. No Cherokee County zoning ordinance was found; zoning only exists inside cities like Jacksonville or Rusk.
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo Cherokee County standard for tiny homes, minimum dwelling size, or RV occupancy was found. Not confirmed; ask the County Clerk or Commissioners Court.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyTexas Local Government Code limits county building-permit authority mostly to commercial or multi-family work; ordinary single-family construction is likely unregulated in unincorporated Cherokee County, but no official page confirms or denies a voluntary county program. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedTCEQ sets statewide septic (OSSF) rules under 30 TAC Chapter 285, administered locally by either the county health department or a TCEQ regional office; which one covers Cherokee County specifically was not confirmed. Homes on 10+ acres are exempt from OSSF permitting if effluent stays on the property, per state rule. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo separate greywater ordinance exists at the state or Cherokee County level; it's handled within the OSSF septic framework.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedRainwater harvesting is encouraged under Texas state policy and no Cherokee County restriction was found.
Private wells & water rights
Unclear - verifyNot confirmed whether Cherokee County lies within a Groundwater Conservation District; if not, Texas's default rule-of-capture applies to private wells.
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo Cherokee County ordinance mandates utility hookups; any such rule would come from an incorporated city, not the county.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.8 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,434 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 50 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,309 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 11 to Nov 24
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital - Jacksonville - 11.4 mi
- Fire station
Jacksonville Fire Dept. - 13.1 mi
- Hardware store
True Value - 0.3 mi
- Grocery
Brookshire Brothers - 0.3 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 75785).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Cherokee 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.