Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Presque Isle, Maine

Presque Isle’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Locating or relocating a mobile home unit in Presque Isle city (general building permits not established)

  • Applies to mobile home units only; the general building-permit requirement for other construction was not established.
  • Construction may proceed after the building permit is issued from the code enforcement officer.

  “it shall be unlawful to locate / relocate any mobile home unit in the city without first obtaining a building permit issued in conformity with this ordinance from the code enforcement officer”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Mobile home units in Presque Isle city (certificate of occupancy for other structures not established)

  • Certificate is issued by the code enforcement officer after a building permit is obtained.
  • Requirement stated for mobile home units only in the opened text.

  “under no circumstances shall the mobile home unit be occupied until a building permit has been obtained by the code enforcement officer and a certificate of occupancy been issued by the code enforcement officer”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Presque Isle city limits, administered by the city under its Land Use and Development Code (Chapter 16)

  • The zoning ordinance is Chapter 16, Land Use and Development Code, of the city; it is not a county or state rule.
  • Zone classes listed include agricultural/farming (AFZ), rural residential (RRZ), suburban residence (SRZ), urban residence (URZ), and others.
  • Dimensional, use and permit rules vary by zone; this claim only establishes that the city administers zoning.

  “the city of presque isle, is hereby divided into the following classes of zones”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Presque Isle city

  • Zone list in Chapter 16 includes AFZ agricultural/farming, RRZ rural residential, SRZ suburban residence, URZ urban residence, RBZ, BZ, DRBZ, GDZ, IZ, ROZ, SCZ, RPZ, AHZ and SWPA.
  • The zoning map is kept at the municipal office; the map itself was not opened, so parcel-level district boundaries are not established here.

  “the city of presque isle, is hereby divided into the following classes of zones: agricultural/farming afz aircraft hazard ahz business bz downtown retail business zone drbz general development zone gdz industrial iz residential office roz retail business rbz resource protection rpz rural residential rrz suburban commercial scz suburban residence srz urban residence urz source water protection area swpa”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Individual mobile home lots inside a mobile home park in Presque Isle city (not single-family residential lots, which were not established)

  • Lots served by public sewer: 6,500 sq ft and 65 ft frontage.
  • Lots served by individual subsurface sewage disposal: 20,000 sq ft and 100 ft frontage.
  • Lots served by a central subsurface system: 12,000 sq ft and 75 ft frontage.
  • Overall park density with central subsurface system is no greater than one unit per 20,000 sq ft of park area.
  • Lots in shoreland zoning areas must also meet the zone's lot area, width, setback and frontage requirements.

  minimum lot area, mobile home lot served by public sewer: >= 6500 square feet (mobile home park lots only) · minimum lot area, mobile home lot served by individual subsurface sewage disposal: >= 20000 square feet (mobile home park lots only)

  “a mobile home lot served by public sewer shall consist of a minimum lot area of six thousand five hundred (6,500) square feet and shall have a minimum frontage of sixty-five (65) feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Manufactured homes inside a mobile home park in Presque Isle city (single-family district setbacks not established)

  • Planning board may allow side yard setbacks reduced to 5 feet if 20 feet separation is kept between units.
  • Minimum 20-foot separation between all manufactured homes in a park.
  • Zoning variance may not exceed 20% of a setback unless abutting landowner consents; no variance may cross shoreland or wetland water body setbacks.

  front yard setback, manufactured home in mobile home park: >= 15 feet (measured from front lot line) · side and rear yard setback, manufactured home in mobile home park: >= 10 feet (planning board may reduce side yard to 5 feet)

  “g. manufactured homes in a mobile home park shall maintain the following front, side, and rear yard setbacks: 1. fifteen feet (15) from front lot line; 2. ten (10) feet from side and rear lot lines.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupancy of recreational vehicles inside Presque Isle city, in campgrounds and trailer parks

  • Applies to campgrounds and trailer parks; occupancy of an RV on private land outside those was not established.
  • Campground rules refer to state licensing procedures and minimum standards.

  “spaces in campgrounds and trailer parks may be used by travel trailers, equivalent facilities constructed in or on automotive vehicles, tents, or other short-term shelter devices.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds and tent sites in Presque Isle city

  • Campgrounds need at least 5 acres and 5,000 square feet of land per site, excluding roads, driveways and wetlands.
  • Recreational vehicle, tent or shelter areas must be set back 100 feet from the normal high-water line of a great pond or river.
  • Campground standards are stated as following state licensing procedures.

  minimum campground tract: >= 5 acres

  “a campground may not be constructed on less than 5 acres of land.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Occupancy of mobile home units in Presque Isle city

  • Applies to locating or relocating a mobile home unit; a building permit and certificate of occupancy must be issued first.
  • Occupancy of manufactured homes in mobile home parks is subject to park standards (see minimum_lot_size and setbacks claims).

  “under no circumstances shall the mobile home unit be occupied until a building permit has been obtained by the code enforcement officer and a certificate of occupancy been issued by the code enforcement officer”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Presque Isle city
• Building code adopted — Construction codes for Presque Isle city
• Inspections — Building inspections in Presque Isle city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Presque Isle city
• Building height — Building height limits in Presque Isle city

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.