Off-grid site report
Hood County, TX
32.4337, -97.7794 · 712 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Hood 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 rulesHood County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyHood County has special state-granted development-regulation authority (Local Government Code Ch. 231, Subch. K), not traditional zoning, applying countywide including city ETJ; a concept/site plan must be authorized by Commissioners' Court before development. Cities may add their own rules in their ETJ. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo confirmed minimum square footage or tiny-home/RV occupancy rule for individual unincorporated lots; the county has specific rules only for manufactured home rental communities, and says it cannot confirm whether a given lot can legally have a mobile home. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedHood County explicitly states no county building permit is required to build a house in the unincorporated area, and the county doesn't inspect residential construction; in-ground pools are the one exception needing a permit. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedHood County's Environmental Health Department is the TCEQ-authorized agent for septic (OSSF) permitting; a permit is required for all installation, modification, or replacement, and homeowners doing their own maintenance on aerobic systems must complete training and report test results periodically. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo standalone Hood County greywater rule was found; it's presumably covered under the same state OSSF framework the county administers, so confirm specifics with Environmental Health. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedRainwater harvesting is allowed and actively encouraged by the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which has run a rainwater harvesting grant program; no county ordinance restricts it.
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedThe Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District requires new wells to be registered before drilling and imposes spacing/acreage rules (roughly 2 acres minimum, 50 feet from property lines, 150 feet from other wells); pre-2009 wells can be registered without a fee. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo Hood County ordinance was found requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities for occupancy in the unincorporated county, and there's no general building permit that would enforce such a rule; not independently confirmed either way, and a specific city could impose its own requirement.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.6 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.5 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,561 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 32 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 2,599 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Lake Granbury Medical Center - 1.4 mi
- Fire station
Granbury Fire Department - 1.6 mi
- Hardware store
The Home Depot - 0.2 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 76048).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Hood 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.