Off-grid site report
Shelby County, TX
31.7948, -94.1815 · 384 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Shelby 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 rulesShelby County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyTexas counties, including Shelby, generally lack home-rule zoning authority over unincorporated land under state law. Whether Shelby County has adopted any narrower state-permitted development rules is not confirmed. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyTexas counties have limited statutory authority to set residential construction standards, but no Shelby County ordinance on tiny homes, minimum size, or RV occupancy was found.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo official Shelby County building-permit page was found, and Texas has no statewide mandatory code for unincorporated counties. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own codes; check with each city. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedTexas Health & Safety Code Chapter 366 and TCEQ rules (30 TAC 285) require a permit for septic/OSSF systems statewide. Whether Shelby County itself administers permits as an authorized agent, versus defaulting to the TCEQ regional office, is not confirmed; verify by phone. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo separate greywater program was found for Shelby County or at the state level; greywater appears folded into the general OSSF/septic framework.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Shelby County ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting was found, and Texas generally encourages the practice at the state level.
Private wells & water rights
Varies locallyTexas follows the rule of capture for groundwater, which can be modified if the property lies within a Groundwater Conservation District. Shelby County's GCD status was not confirmed; check the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts index. All wells statewide require a licensed driller and a filed State Well Report. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo state law requires utility connection, and no official Shelby County ordinance on off-grid utility disconnection was found. Any such rule would more likely come from an incorporated city than the unincorporated county.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.2 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,397 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 54 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 1 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,238 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 16 to Nov 16
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial San Augustine - 18.7 mi
- Fire station
- none within range
- Hardware store
- none within range
- Grocery
Brookshire Brothers - 0.5 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 75935).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Shelby 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.