Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Turner, Maine

Town of Turner’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building construction and permitted uses in Turner town.

  • A plumbing permit must first be secured for a structure or use involving construction, installation, or alteration of plumbing facilities.
  • parameters: applications may be required to provide information necessary to determine ordinance conformance.

  “All building permits for permitted uses shall be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Residents applying for a building permit in Turner town.

  • The town uses the Third-Party Inspector program.
  • The permit holder must engage their own inspector.

  “It is the permit holder’s responsibility to engage their own inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and structures within Turner town, Maine.

  • The ordinance states that other applicable federal and state laws and regulations also apply to development.

  “The provisions of this Ordinance shall govern all land and all structures within the boundaries of the Town of Turner”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Turner town zoning districts.

  • District use permissions remain subject to the ordinance's performance standards and site-plan review where applicable.

  “Agricultural/Industrial District: The purpose of the Agricultural/Industrial District is to provide locations for industrial, manufacturing, warehousing and other businesses”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in permitted Turner zoning districts.

  • The residential-use table identifies a Code Enforcement Officer permit for manufactured homes in Village, General Residential I, General Residential II, Rural I, Rural II, and Shoreland districts.
  • The town separately states that permits are required to set up or move a mobile home.

  “Permits are required to set up a mobile home.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units in permitted Turner zoning districts.

  • Only one accessory dwelling unit may be created as part of a single-family dwelling.
  • Either the principal unit or the accessory dwelling unit must be owner occupied.
  • The unit must comply with applicable egress standards and state subsurface wastewater rules.
  • No additional curb cuts or driveways may be created.

  minimum ADU living area: >= 90 square feet · maximum ADU living area: <= 540 square feet

  “An accessory dwelling unit must be at least 90 square feet, but not contain more than 540 square feet of living area.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for allowed uses in Turner town.

  • Systems must comply with state Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules.

  “Private Sewage Disposal Systems for Allowed Uses LPI LPI LPI28 LPI LPI LPI LPI LPI LPI LPI”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems for allowed uses in Turner town.

  • The zoning table identifies the Local Plumbing Inspector as the permitting authority.
  • Systems in the shoreland area must conform to state Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules.

  “Subsurface Waste Disposal Permit Application (HHE-200)”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  First-time residential uses in Turner's shoreland zone.

  • All subsurface sewage systems must conform to state Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules.
  • A holding tank is not allowed for a first-time residential use in the shoreland zone.

  “a holding tank is not allowed for a first-time residential use in the shoreland zone”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Multi-family development and subdivisions in Turner town.

  • Multi-family dwellings in districts where permitted require Planning Board subdivision approval and comply with the Subdivision Ordinance and other applicable zoning provisions.

  “subdivision approval by the Planning Board in accordance with the Town of Turner Subdivision Ordinance”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Nonconforming structures and development subject to Turner's Floodplain Management Ordinance.

  • The referenced Floodplain Management Ordinance requirements must be met.

  “the provisions of Article VI of the Floodplain Management Ordinance for the Town of Turner, Maine, shall be met.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning permits, site-plan review, appeals, and ordinance amendments.

  • Selectmen may revise the fee schedule after a public hearing upon Planning Board recommendation.
  • No fee is required for timber-harvesting permits in the Resource Protection District.

  CEO permit not requiring building permit: 25 USD (No fee for timber-harvesting permit in Resource Protection District.) · site plan review base fee: 50 USD (Plus area-based charges and applicable escrow.)

  “Permits issued by Code Enforcement Officer: not requiring a building permit: $25.00.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for permits under Turner's zoning ordinance.

  • The CEO or Planning Board may require information necessary to determine conformance.
  • Plumbing-related construction needs a plumbing permit before a building permit may issue.

  “Applications for permits shall be submitted in writing.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Turner

Town of Turner does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Living in an RVLimited

  Individual private campsites in Turner's shoreland zone.

  • One campsite per qualifying lot or 30,000 square feet, whichever is less, may be permitted.
  • Only one recreational vehicle is allowed per campsite.
  • For placement over 120 days per year, residential-structure requirements and a compliant subsurface disposal system are required unless served by public sewage facilities.

  recreational vehicle occupancy threshold: > 120 days per year (Triggers residential-structure and sewage-system requirements.)

  “When a recreational vehicle, tent or similar shelter is placed on-site for more than one hundred and twenty (120) days per year”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Individual private campsites in Turner's shoreland zone.

  • One campsite per qualifying lot or 30,000 square feet, whichever is less, may be permitted.
  • Campsites have waterbody/wetland setbacks.
  • Each campsite requires a written sewage-disposal plan approved by the Local Plumbing Inspector.

  “Individual, private campsites not associated with campgrounds are allowed provided the following conditions are met:”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Roads and driveways in Turner's shoreland zone.

  • If no reasonable alternative exists as determined by the Planning Board, a reduced 50-foot setback may be allowed on a clear showing of appropriate anti-sedimentation techniques.
  • Setback increases on slopes above 20 percent.

  great pond driveway setback: >= 100 feet (May be reduced to no less than 50 feet if no reasonable alternative exists and anti-sedimentation techniques are shown.) · other waterbody/stream/wetland driveway setback: >= 75 feet (May be reduced to no less than 50 feet if no reasonable alternative exists and anti-sedimentation techniques are shown.)

  “Roads and driveways shall be set back at least one-hundred (100) feet”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Turner or Androscoggin County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Turner town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures in Turner town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings in Turner town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Turner town.
• Septic inspection — Private septic systems in Turner town.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Turner means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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