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

Town of Damariscotta’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, relocated, or moved into Damariscotta town.

  • Maintenance and repair, and accessory structures or additions under 100 square feet, do not require permits except that all such structures or additions within the Shoreland Zone require permits.
  • A plumbing permit must previously have been obtained where plumbing or septic work is required to make a building habitable.

  residential permit decision period: <= 5 working days · commercial permit decision period: <= 15 working days

  “The owner of the property shall obtain a permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer for all structure(s) constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, relocated in, or moved to, the Town of Damariscotta, prior to the fact.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Sites in Damariscotta town where building permits have been issued.

  • The ordinance identifies CEO site inspection as a power and duty, but the opened text does not prescribe an inspection for every permit.

  “The Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) shall have the following powers and duties: [...] Inspect sites where building permits have been issued to ensure compliance with this Ordinance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings after construction, reconstruction, enlargement, relocation, or movement into Damariscotta town.

  • CEO issues the certificate after examination demonstrates compliance with all State and Local codes.

  “No building shall be occupied after its construction, reconstruction, enlargement, or relocation in or movement to the Town of Damariscotta until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and structures in Damariscotta town.

  • Uses must conform to the applicable land-use district; shoreland land may also be regulated under the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

  “To implement the provisions of this Ordinance, the Town of Damariscotta is hereby divided into the following Land Use Districts with the following purposes:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Damariscotta town land-use districts.

  • Land within 250 feet of waterbodies or wetlands and land within 75 feet of streams may additionally be regulated by the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

  “To implement the provisions of this Ordinance, the Town of Damariscotta is hereby divided into the following Land Use Districts with the following purposes:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Lots with a legally existing Residence use in Damariscotta town.

  • ADU cannot be on a lot without a legally existing Residence use.
  • Minimum ADU floor area is 200 square feet.
  • No more than two ADUs per lot; one is allowed on a lot containing more than two dwelling units and in the Rural District.

  minimum ADU floor area: >= 200 square feet · maximum ADUs per lot: <= 2 ADUs (one on Rural lots and on lots containing more than two dwelling units)

  “Accessory Dwelling Units may be permitted on any lot with a legally existing Residence use.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Land Use Ordinance applications in Damariscotta town.

  • Fees are non-refundable, must be fully paid for a complete application, and other ordinances may impose separate or additional fees.
  • After-the-fact permit fee is twice the regular permit fee, in addition to other fees and fines.

  after-the-fact permit fee: 2 times regular permit fee (when required work began before a permit was obtained)

  “The Select Board shall establish and amend a fee schedule setting the required amounts for the following application types:”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in Damariscotta town.

  • Application must include a drawing and site plan; required details include project dimensions, property-line distances, abutters, roads, water bodies, sewer disposal, and water supply.
  • All other permits required for the proposal must be obtained before issuance.

  residential decision period: <= 5 working days · commercial decision period: <= 15 working days

  “The Code Enforcement Officer, after receipt of the application, shall either issue the requested permit or transmit notice of refusal to the applicant within a reasonable time, not to exceed five (5) working days for residential applicants, and fifteen (15) working days for commercial applicants.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Damariscotta

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

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Subsurface wastewater systems inside Damariscotta town.

  • The State regulatory program requires review by the Local Plumbing Inspector; the Town land-use ordinance requires compliance with the Maine State Plumbing Code for sewerage and water connections and systems.

  “The LPI must examine all applications for disposal system permits and amendments after a completed filing.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a new, expanded, or replacement subsurface wastewater disposal system or components in Damariscotta town.

  • Normal maintenance and repair are excepted.
  • The permit is valid for work commenced within 24 months after issuance.

  permit commencement validity: 24 months

  “Installing a new, expanded, or replacement subsurface wastewater disposal system, or any individual components, requires a permit, except normal maintenance and repair.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted subsurface wastewater disposal systems in Damariscotta town.

  • The system must pass one site-preparation inspection before installation and one inspection before final backfilling.

  required inspections: 2 inspections

  “The system must pass two inspections, one site prep before installation and one prior to final backfilling.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Damariscotta town.
• Minimum dwelling size — General Residential district in Damariscotta town.
• Lot coverage — Land-use districts in Damariscotta town.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land in Damariscotta town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Damariscotta 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 Damariscotta 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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