Off-grid site report
Cooke County, TX
33.6430, -97.1341 · 774 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Cooke 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 rulesCooke County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Generally allowedCooke County has no general countywide zoning, per Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231, except within the Lake Ray Roberts Zoning Ordinance area administered by the Commissioners Court. Outside that lake zone, unincorporated land is not zoned. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Varies locallyNo countywide ordinance on tiny homes or RV occupancy was found for unincorporated land; subdivision plats within the Lake Ray Roberts zone must show setbacks. Confirm specifics with the Subdivision and Development Department. source
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyThe county's Subdivision and Development Department requires floodplain development permits with engineering review, but whether a general building code applies to unincorporated construction outside subdivisions is not confirmed on the county's site. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems are permitted and administered by the Cooke County Rural Subdivision & Septic Department under state OSSF rules set by TCEQ (Texas Health and Safety Code Ch. 366, 30 TAC 285). Aerobic systems require a maintenance contract before a Permit to Operate is issued. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Cooke County greywater rule was found; it likely falls under the same state 30 TAC 285 OSSF framework the septic department implements, but this isn't confirmed at the county level. Ask the Rural Subdivision & Septic Department.
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Cooke County ordinance restricts rainwater harvesting; Texas generally encourages it at the state level, though this isn't spelled out in a specific county document.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWells fall under the North Texas Groundwater Conservation District (covering Collin, Cooke, and Denton Counties), created under Texas Water Code Chapter 36, which requires metering for non-exempt wells and departs from the state's default rule of capture. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo Cooke County ordinance mandates connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities in unincorporated areas; such requirements would come from an incorporated city, not the county.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.9 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,508 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 43 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 3 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,902 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Mar 20 to Nov 17
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
North Texas Medical Center - 1.6 mi
- Fire station
Gainesville Fire Station #2 - 1.5 mi
- Hardware store
Harbor Freight Tools - 0.2 mi
- Grocery
Walmart Supercenter - 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 76240).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Cooke 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.