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

Town of Bradley’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building, structure, or part thereof erected, altered, enlarged, or moved pursuant to approval under Bradley's Land Use Ordinance.

  • The certificate must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before the approved proposed use is occupied or used.
  • It applies to activities granted approval under the ordinance.

  “After a building, structure, or part thereof has been erected, altered, enlarged, or moved, pursuant to approval under this Ordinance, a Certificate of Occupancy shall be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer for the proposed use before the same may be occupied or used.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bradley town limits; the Land Use Ordinance excludes Bradley shoreland zones.

  • Shoreland zones are governed separately from this Land Use Ordinance.

  “This Ordinance shall apply to all land areas within the Town of Bradley. This Ordinance does not apply to the shoreland zones of the Town of Bradley.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction, earth-moving, improvements, or changes within the 100-year flood plain shown on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps inside Bradley town limits.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer permit is required before the covered activity begins or is undertaken.

  “A permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer shall be required before beginning or undertaking any of the following activities: [...] FLOOD HAZARD AREAS: All construction or earth moving activities or other improvements or changes within the 100-year flood plain designated on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for approval under Bradley's Land Use Ordinance.

  • Applications must be submitted in writing on provided forms to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer may require additional information necessary to determine conformance.
  • Within 30 days of receipt, the officer must issue, refer, or deny the application; decisions must be in writing.

  Code Enforcement Officer decision deadline: <= 30 days after receipt of application

  “The Code Enforcement Officer shall, within thirty (30) days of receipt of an application: issue the permit, if all proposed construction and uses meet the provisions of the Ordinance; refer the application to the Planning Board for their review; or deny the application. All decisions of the Code Enforcement Officer shall be in writing.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Bradley town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Bradley town limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Bradley town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Bradley town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Bradley town limits.

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 Bradley 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.