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

Town of Houlton’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Houlton town limits (Houlton, Aroostook County, ME 04730) under the town's own Zoning Ordinance

  • The text read is the Zoning Ordinance PDF uploaded to houlton-maine.com in 2012. The town's Code Enforcement page links a separate 'zoning-ordinance-2019' page that could not be read; confirm it is the currently adopted text before relying on any figure here.
  • Zoning applies to uses, lots and buildings by district; see the district-specific claims.

  “sec. 14 low-density residential district "r-1" a. intent and purpose.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Houlton town, as listed in the Town of Houlton Zoning Ordinance

  • District list taken from the 2012 PDF. The 2019 ordinance and official zoning map (linked from the Code Enforcement page) were not opened, so district names may have changed.

  “sec. 15 general residential district "r-2" a. intent and purpose.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Mobile homes placed on mobile home lots in Houlton town. No general minimum for site-built or other dwellings was found in the sections read.

  • Figures are from the 2012 PDF; confirm against the current 2019 ordinance.
  • Mobile homes must also meet the zoning requirements for mobile home lots and the state plumbing code for sewer, sewage disposal and water connections.

  minimum mobile home size (outside dimensions, less additions): >= 500 square feet

  “mobile home size must be a minimum of 500 square feet (outside dimensions) less additions.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 Low-density residential district of Houlton town

  • Figures are from the 2012 PDF; confirm against the current 2019 ordinance.
  • Dwellings: 10,000 sq ft for the first unit plus 2,000 sq ft per additional unit; all other uses: 12,000 sq ft.

  minimum lot area, dwellings (first unit): >= 10000 square feet (plus 2,000 square feet for each additional unit) · minimum lot area, all other uses: >= 12000 square feet

  “1. minimum lot area a. dwellings - 10,000 square feet for the first unit, plus 2,000 square feet for each additional unit. b. all other uses - 12,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 Low-density residential district of Houlton town

  • Figures are from the 2012 PDF; confirm against the current 2019 ordinance.
  • Front yard distance depends on street class: 35 ft on a major street, 20 ft on other streets.

  front yard depth, major street: >= 35 feet · front yard depth, other streets: >= 20 feet · side and rear yard, principal building: >= 15 feet · side and rear yard, accessory building: >= 10 feet

  “3. minimum yard depths. a. front yard - on a major street, 35 feet; on all other streets, 20 feet. b. side and rear yards - 15 feet for principal building; 10 feet for accessory buildings.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 Low-density residential district of Houlton town

  • Figures are from the 2012 PDF; confirm against the current 2019 ordinance.
  • Measured as maximum building area as a share of lot area.

  maximum building area: <= 30 percent of lot area

  “5. maximum building area - 30% of lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 Low-density residential district of Houlton town

  • Figures are from the 2012 PDF; confirm against the current 2019 ordinance.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “4. maximum building height - 35 feet. 5. maximum building area - 30% of lot area.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers occupied in an approved camping area in Houlton town

  • Applies only inside an approved camping area; occupancy of RVs on private land outside such an area was not addressed in sections read.
  • 90-day annual limit per the camping area standards.

  maximum stay in camping area: <= 90 days per calendar year

  “2. no travel trailer shall remain in a camping area for more than 90 days in any calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Travel trailers in an approved camping area in Houlton town

  • Applies to a camping area approved by the board of appeals after a plan is submitted to the building inspector.
  • Stay limit: 90 days in any calendar year, per the camping area standards of the 2012 PDF.

  maximum stay in camping area: <= 90 days per calendar year

  “2. no travel trailer shall remain in a camping area for more than 90 days in any calendar year.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Single mobile home dwellings on a single mobile home lot in the R-F rural residence and farming district of Houlton town

  • Listed as a permitted use in R-F; the mobile home lot must meet the zoning ordinance and R-F requirements.
  • Mobile homes on lots must be placed on solid concrete or masonry foundations (2012 PDF); confirm current rule.

  “2. single-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings and single mobile home dwellings established on a single mobile home lot as defined in section 51.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building and other permits issued by the Houlton Code Enforcement Office

  • Only the link label was read. The fee schedule itself was not opened, so fee amounts are not recorded here.

  “apply for a building permit apply for a sign permit permit fee schedule application for administrative appeal - variance septic system permit search”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Houlton

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Houlton town, under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC), as enforced by the Houlton Code Enforcement Officer

  • The town page says MUBEC is updated to the 2021 ICC codes for permits issued on or after April 7, 2025 (2015/2016 editions before that date).
  • Enforcement is based on population or local action for communities under 4,000 residents (per the town page, citing chapter 1); Houlton's population status not verified.

  “maine uniform building and energy code (mubec) applies to all towns within the state of maine.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Houlton town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Houlton town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Houlton town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Houlton town
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Houlton 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.