Off-grid site report
Gaines County, TX
32.7183, -102.6447 · 3,301 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Gaines 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 rulesGaines County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyNo general zoning ordinance was found for unincorporated Gaines County; Texas counties generally lack broad zoning power. The county does have subdivision platting regulations under state law, which is a different thing from zoning. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county rule was found specifically addressing tiny homes or standalone RV occupancy on individual tracts; the subdivision regulations only touch manufactured-home rental communities. Confirm directly with the county. source
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo Gaines County building-permit ordinance or code adoption for single-family residential construction was found; Texas counties have limited permitting authority beyond commercial/multi-family and floodplain matters. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic (OSSF) systems statewide are governed by Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and 30 TAC Chapter 285, administered by TCEQ. Whether Gaines County itself is the local permitting authority or TCEQ Region 7 (Midland) handles it directly was not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone greywater ordinance was found at the county or TCEQ level; greywater appears to be addressed only within the general OSSF/septic rules.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Gaines County restriction on rainwater harvesting was found; the state baseline, which generally supports rainwater collection for domestic use, applies.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedGaines County lies within the Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District, which permits and regulates well spacing and production. Whether ordinary domestic wells are exempt from permitting was not confirmed; ask the District. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo county or state law was found requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities in unincorporated Gaines County; such mandates, where they exist in Texas, are typically city ordinances.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 5.4 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,793 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 18 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 8 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,158 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 31 to Nov 7
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Memorial Hospital - 0.6 mi
- Fire station
Seminole Volunteer Fire Department - 0.1 mi
- Hardware store
Brown's Ace Hardware - 0.1 mi
- Grocery
United - 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 79360).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Gaines 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 22, 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.