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

Town of Patten’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, accessory buildings, relocations and replacements inside Patten town limits

  • Permit is issued by the code enforcement officer on application from the Patten Town Office.
  • Exempt: a doghouse, children's playhouse, toolshed, or similar small building of not more than 100 square feet, if it meets all other code requirements.
  • No permit for repairs or improvements not involving structural changes when the reasonable cost is less than $5000.00.
  • Ordinance scope includes trailers, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles connected to any utility or used as a residence for more than thirty (30) days.
  • Ordinance adopted by voters at annual town meeting on March 14, 2000; last updated November 20, 2018.

  “Before the construction of any structure, accessory building, relocation or replacement of any building, trailer, mobile home or any part thereof shall begin, the owner or authorized agent of the owner shall obtain an application for a permit for such work.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction under a Patten town building permit inside Patten town limits

  • The building permit application grants the code enforcement officer and municipal officers entry to inspect at reasonable hours.
  • The ordinance does not set a mandatory inspection schedule or required inspection stages for buildings; inspection is tied to 'the purpose of inspecting as required by this ordinance' with no stages listed.

  “Application for a permit shall constitute the granting of permission by the owner or the owner’s agent for the Code Enforcement Officer and the Municipal Officers to enter the premises for the purpose of making inspections at reasonable hours.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Buildings and moved mobile homes on any lot inside Patten town limits (town-wide; no zoning district schedule was found, so no district-specific claim is made; the main single-family residential district could not be identified)

  • Lots of record before the ordinance's effective date are exempt.
  • A building that burns, is demolished or is moved may be replaced on a smaller lot.
  • Lots served by public community sewer use a 9,000 sq ft minimum.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet (9,000 sq ft where lot is served by public community sewer; existing recorded lots exempt)

  “No buildings, including a mobile home shall be constructed upon or moved to a lot with an area of less than 20,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings on any lot inside Patten town limits (town-wide; no district schedule found, so no district-specific claim is made)

  • Front setback is measured from the right-of-way; side yard from adjoining lot lines, per the Building Ordinance.

  setback from right-of-way: >= 25 feet · side yard from adjoining lot line: >= 10 feet

  “No building shall be erected on a lot unless the building shall be set back from the right-of-way at least 25 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles used as a residence inside Patten town limits

  • The Building Ordinance applies to RVs connected to any utility or used as a residence for more than 30 days, so they are subject to its construction and permit rules.
  • This is a building-code scope rule; it is not a general occupancy restriction, and any zoning limits were not found.

  “including all trailers, manufactured homes and/or recreational vehicles when connected to any utility and/or used as a residence for a period of more than thirty (30) days.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private wastewater disposal systems inside Patten town limits

  • The plumbing inspector must be allowed to inspect at any stage of construction, and the permit takes effect only after final inspection satisfactory to the plumbing inspector.
  • Sewer Ordinance dated May 1988; confirm currency with the Town Office.

  “the applicant for the permit shall notify the plumbing inspector when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions a re covered”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Holding-tank sanitation on improved property inside Patten town limits

  • Holding tanks may not be used for seasonal conversion or for new construction within the shoreland zone of a major water course.
  • Wastewater from a holding tank must be collected and transported solely by, or under the direction of, the town authority (the selectmen).
  • No general statement on off-grid or unpermitted sanitation was found; the Holding Tank Ordinance's enactment line is garbled in the source text.

  “Holding tanks cannot be used for seasonal conversion, see Subsection 1801.3, or new construction within the Shoreland zone of a major water course.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings on property where a public sewer is available inside Patten town limits

  • Connection is required within 60 days after official notice where the public sewer is within 200 feet of the structure to be served.
  • An owner may request written deferral for undue hardship and must demonstrate it.
  • Where no public sewer is available, the building sewer connects to a private system under Article IV.
  • Sewer Ordinance dated May 1988; confirm currency and sewer service area with the Town Office.

  public sewer distance from structure: <= 200 feet (unless undue hardship is shown and deferral granted in writing)

  “to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, within 60 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 200 feet of the structure to be served”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Water (with conditions) — New dwellings, including mobile homes and seasonal homes, inside Patten town limits

    “Each dwelling, including mobile homes, and each seasonal home shall be connected to a public water supply or a private potable water supply shall be provided.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Patten town limits

  • The Subdivision Ordinance is listed on the town ordinances page; its text was not opened, so its thresholds and process are unknown.

  “There shall be submitted to The Town of Patten Planning Board a preliminary subdivision plan for study, and modification of the plan, if necessary.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Each lot inside Patten town limits receiving a building

  • Driveway must be at least 10 feet wide, per the Building Ordinance; the Tiny Homes and Park Model ordinances may add rules (not opened).

  minimum driveway width: >= 10 feet

  “Each lot shall be provided with a driveway of not less than 10 feet in width.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Patten town limits

  • A double permit fee may be assessed where construction starts without a permit.
  • The septic permit fee is separate (see septic_permit).

  building permit fee: 25 USD (plus double fee if construction begins without a permit)

  “applicants for building permits shall submit a fee together with the completed application to the code enforcement officer.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process inside Patten town limits

  • Application is in writing from the Patten Town Office or the code enforcement officer; the CEO must issue or refuse within ten days.
  • Appeal of a refusal may be taken in writing within 30 days to the municipal officers.
  • Construction must begin within one year of the permit date or the permit is void; permit must be displayed on the premises.

  “The Code Enforcement Officer shall either issue the requested permit or transmit notice of refusal within ten days of receipt of the application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing a home inside Patten town limits
• Building code adopted — Building construction standards inside Patten town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home inside Patten town limits
• Local zoning — Land inside Patten town limits: whether the town adopts and administers a general zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Patten 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 Patten 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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