Off-grid site report

Montgomery County, TN

36.5503, -87.3989 · 554 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Montgomery 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 rulesMontgomery County, TN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

RestrictedMontgomery County has an active countywide zoning resolution (adopted 1964, amended Feb. 2024) for all unincorporated land, administered by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission. Clarksville city limits use a separate city zoning ordinance. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo county-specific rule was found addressing tiny homes under Appendix Q or long-term RV occupancy as a dwelling; treat this as inheriting the state baseline and confirm opt-out status directly with Montgomery County Building and Codes. source

Building permits & codes

RestrictedMontgomery County actively requires and enforces building permits through its Building and Codes Department; homeowners may self-permit personal-use construction under Tennessee state law but must still meet code and inspection requirements. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedA state (TDEC) septic permit, obtained through the county's Environmental and Groundwater Protection office, is required before a building permit will be issued, with no dry-cabin exemption found. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Montgomery County-specific greywater ordinance was found; this inherits the state plumbing code baseline, which technically permits subsurface irrigation reuse. Confirm enforcement details with the county Environmental/Groundwater office.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Montgomery County ordinance restricting residential rainwater collection was found; the county's stormwater program regulates development-site runoff, not household catchment. source

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells are legal in unincorporated Montgomery County under the state framework, and must be drilled by a TDEC-licensed well driller; no additional county well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyDisconnecting from electric service is unrestricted, but no official county page was found confirming whether unincorporated Montgomery County mandates connection to public water/sewer where available; Clarksville's in-city rules may differ.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.9 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.3 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,351 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 50 in/yr
Heating degree days: 4,018 (moderate)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Colonel Florence A Blanchfield Army Community Hospital: 6.6 mi
Fire station Station 5: 0.1 mi
Hardware store Harbor Freight Tools: 1.9 mi
Grocery Walmart Neighborhood Market: 0.2 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 37042).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

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.