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

Town of Howland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New structures, changes of use, specified alterations, reconstruction, resumed use, and mineral extraction inside Howland town.

  • Permit applicants must apply to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • Permits are valid for 90 days to begin construction or use and two years to complete construction.

  permit validity to begin construction or use: 90 days · permit validity to complete construction: 2 years

  “anyone who wishes to take any of the actions listed above must apply to and obtain a building permit from the code enforcement officer.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Development subject to Howland's Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

  • The inspection duty is for compliance with applicable laws and conditions attached to permit approvals.

  “The Code Enforcement Officer shall conduct on-site inspections to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and conditions attached to permit approvals.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Howland town.

  • The unit must have adequate water supply and meet town and state wastewater standards.
  • Written verification of adequate water and wastewater service is required before certification for occupancy.

  “an owner of an accessory dwelling unit must provide written verification that the proposed accessory dwelling unit is to be connected to adequate water and wastewater services prior to certification of the accessory dwelling unit for occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Howland town, Maine.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer and Planning Board administer the ordinance.
  • The ordinance pertains to new construction and additions within town boundaries.

  “the code enforcement officer and the planning board of the town of howland shall administer these regulations.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Howland town.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Official Zoning Map adopted by reference.
  • The map is identified by Selectboard signatures and attested by the Town Clerk.

  “districts are located and bounded as shown on the official zoning map which is adopted by reference.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings inside Howland town.

  • The standard is in the zoning-ordinance definition of dwelling.

  minimum dwelling coverage: >= 650 square feet

  “dwelling: a permanent building with a minimum coverage of 650 square feet, equipped with a heating system designed to uphold a temperature of 68º f. through the winter, with running water and sewer, with a water closet and bath or shower and meeting with the standards of the latest issue of national building code, recommended by the municipal building code.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Lots with a one-family residential dwelling wholly outside the Shoreland Zone inside Howland town.

  • One accessory residential dwelling unit is allowed per lot without increased minimum lot area.
  • The unit may be inside, attached to, or in a new structure associated with the one-family dwelling.
  • Private and governmental standards, deed restrictions, setback, density, septic, shoreland zoning, and subdivision law may apply.

  accessory dwelling units per lot: 1 unit (Lot must have a Residential Dwelling One-Family and be wholly outside the Shoreland Zone.) · minimum accessory dwelling unit size: >= 190 square feet · maximum accessory dwelling living area: <= 75 percent of primary dwelling living area

  “for any existing or new lot with a residential dwelling one-family that is wholly outside the shoreland zone, one accessory residential dwelling unit is allowed per lot without an increase in the minimum lot area requirement.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Subsurface wastewater systems inside Howland town.

  • Howland identifies a municipal Plumbing Inspector.
  • State Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules govern plans and permitting requirements.

  “plumbing inspector dwight tilton phone: 732-4112”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Uses emitting sewage inside Howland town.

  • The use must be connected to public sewer or have adequate sewer-disposal facilities under Howland's Sewer Ordinance and the State of Maine Plumbing Code.

  “no use which emits sewage is permitted in any zone unless it is connected to the public sewer system or is equipped with its own adequate sewer disposal facilities according to the sewer ordinance for howland and the state of maine plumbing code.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Accessory dwelling units inside Howland town.

  • Where the unit connects to public or centrally managed sewer or water, it must provide proof of adequate service and payment for connection.
  • A septic system or well is alternatively addressed under the stated adequacy requirements.

  “5.6.1.3.1 if an accessory dwelling unit is connected to a public, special district or other comparable sewer system, proof of adequate service to support any additional flow created by the unit and proof of payment for the connection to the sewer system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division or sale of land inside Howland town.

  • A landowner may not create a lot or parcel with no right-of-way.
  • A landowner may not sell or divide a lot or parcel that does not conform to the district lot requirements.

  “a. it is unlawful for any landowner to sell or divide parcels of land in such a manner so as to create a lot or parcel of land with no right-of-way to it.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Actions subject to Howland's Zoning Ordinance.

  • Application must be written and account for all aspects to which the ordinance applies.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer must grant an acceptable Building and/or Use Permit within 30 days; failure to issue written notice within 30 days is refusal.

  CEO decision period: <= 30 days (Failure to issue written notice to the applicant within the period constitutes refusal.)

  “failure of the code enforcement officer to issue written notice of his/her decision directed to the applicant within thirty (30) days from the date of filing of the application constitutes refusal of the permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Howland

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential District in Howland town.

  front setback: >= 15 feet · side setback: >= 15 feet · rear setback: >= 15 feet

  “setback: in front 15 feet, on side a minimum of 15 feet, and in back a minimum of 15 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural Residential District in Howland town.

    “setback: a minimum of 20 feet all around.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential District in Howland town.

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet

  “BUILDING HEIGHT: Maximum of 30 feet. g) ANIMALS: The usual household pets may be kept.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a subsurface wastewater disposal system or component inside Howland town.

  • Normal maintenance and repair are excepted.
  • The owner or agent must obtain the permit before beginning construction.
  • A permit is valid for work commenced within 24 months after issuance.

  permit commencement period: 24 months

  “a permit is required for installation of a subsurface wastewater disposal system or components thereof. a permit is valid for work commenced within 24 months after the permit is issued.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted new, expanded, or replacement subsurface wastewater systems inside Howland town.

  • The system must pass a site-preparation inspection before installation and an inspection before final backfilling.
  • The Licensed Plumbing Inspector must receive at least 24 hours notice before the system is ready for inspection.

  advance inspection notice: >= 24 hours

  “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 Howland or Penobscot County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Howland town.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural development inside Howland town.
• Building in a floodplain — Floodplain development inside Howland town.
• Short-term rentals — Short-term rentals inside Howland town.
• Permit fees — Construction and land-use permits inside Howland 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 Howland 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.