Buncombe County

Living in an RV on your landWith conditions

An RV/travel trailer may be a temporary single-family dwelling for no more than 180 days per calendar year, and only in districts that permit travel trailers (R-3, PS, CR, OU per Table 1). Never as a permanent dwelling or permanently affixed.

“Travel trailers and/or recreational vehicles may be used as a temporary single-family dwelling for no more than 180 days out of the calendar year”

§ 78-664; § 78-641 Table 1 (Travel trailers, no more than 180 days per calendar year), read 2026-11-13

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

Tiny house on wheelsWith conditions

The ordinance does not name tiny houses on wheels. Its travel trailer definition covers park models, RVs and similar transportable structures, so a tiny house on wheels would most likely fall under the same 180-days-per-year rule in R-3, PS, CR and OU.

“including moveable park model homes, travel trailers, recreational vehicles (RV), and other similar vehicles and uses. and similar transportable structures.”

§ 78-581 Definitions, "Travel trailer"; § 78-664, read 2026-11-13

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

Small house on a foundationAllowed

Single-family residential dwellings (including modular) are permitted by right in every district except AI. No minimum dwelling floor area found in the zoning ordinance (searched 'minimum floor', 'square feet').

“Single-family residential dwelling, including modular”

§ 78-641 Table 1 Permitted Use Table, read 2026-11-13

State law: farm buildings outside town limits skip the building code (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-138(b4)).

State law: homes on 10+ acres in farm districts (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-903(b)).

State law: building permits (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-1110).

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

ChickensNot addressed

Read the full Article VI on Municode: the permitted use table has no agriculture, livestock or poultry row, and no animal-keeping standard for residential lots. The only farm reference is the bona fide farm exemption.

§ 78-641 Table 1; full Art. VI searched for poultry/fowl/chicken, read 2026-11-13

State law: real farms are exempt from county zoning (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-903(a), (a1)).

State law: right to farm (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(a)).

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

Goats and livestockNot addressed

Article VI's use table has no livestock or agriculture row; 'livestock' appears only in the bona fide farm definition. No acreage minimum or setback for keeping livestock found.

§ 78-641 Table 1; § 78-581 Definitions, read 2026-11-13

State law: real farms are exempt from county zoning (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-903(a), (a1)).

State law: right to farm (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-701(a)).

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

BeesNot addressed

No bee, hive or apiary provision anywhere in Article VI (full text searched on Municode).

Full Art. VI searched, read 2026-11-13

State law: real farms are exempt from county zoning (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-903(a), (a1)).

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.

Composting toiletNot addressed

Article VI mentions toilets only as accessibility features in a density-bonus table; nothing on composting toilets or privies. Left to state rules.

Full Art. VI searched, read 2026-11-13

State law: composting toilets are allowed, but you still need a septic permit (15A NCAC 18E .1001 (eff. Oct. 1, 2021)).

Confirm with Buncombe County before you buy land or build.