Off-grid site report
Potter County, TX
35.1905, -101.7949 · 3,665 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Potter 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 rulesPotter County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyUnincorporated Potter County has no countywide zoning ordinance; Texas counties generally lack home-rule zoning power. Land inside Amarillo city limits or ETJ is zoned by the City of Amarillo instead. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official Potter County page sets minimum dwelling size, tiny-home standards, or RV-residency rules for unincorporated land. Confirm directly with Road & Bridge whether any standard applies.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo confirmed Potter County ordinance requiring general building permits for single-family homes in unincorporated areas; state law typically limits county permit authority to commercial/multi-family/substantial-improvement work. Septic permitting is the clearest permit trigger found. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Amarillo Area Public Health District's Environmental Health Department is the designated permitting authority for OSSFs (including composting toilets) in Potter County, under state rules (30 TAC Chapter 285) and County Order. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Potter County or health district page addresses greywater specifically; it appears to fall under the same OSSF permitting framework. Ask the Environmental Health Department for confirmation.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Potter County ordinance restricts rainwater harvesting, and the state generally encourages it for domestic use; no county permit requirement was confirmed.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedPart of Potter County lies in the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, which requires well registration or permitting depending on size, while another part falls under the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District's planning area; confirm which district covers your parcel. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo state law or Potter County ordinance was found requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities in the unincorporated county; any such mandate would apply only within Amarillo city limits.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,755 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 20 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 18 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 4,178 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 15 to Oct 24
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Northwest Emergency at Tascosa - 5.5 mi
- Fire station
Amarillo Fire Station 6 - 0.2 mi
- Hardware store
Harbor Freight Tools - 1.4 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 79104).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Potter 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.