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

Town of Hartland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction and most property work inside Hartland town, handled by the town's Code Enforcement Officer

  • The town says permitting may come from the town, DEP, or another agency, depending on the project.
  • Permits are valid for 1 year.
  • Code Enforcement Officer is Josh Berry ([email protected] or 207-938-4401); office hours are every 1st and 3rd Wednesday.
  • Scope of the statement is broad; the building code chapter was not opened to confirm which work is exempt.

  “just about everything except a very dead tree requires permitting whether from the town, dep or another agency.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hartland town's shoreland zone (lakes, rivers and related shoreland). Only shoreland zoning is confirmed; a general town-wide zoning ordinance was not located.

  • The town office page directs residents to its shoreland zoning ordinance; the ordinance text itself was not opened.
  • Permits in the shoreland zone may go to the planning board, which meets once a month.
  • Page identity: the Town of Hartland, Maine office at 21 Elm Street, Hartland, ME 04943. The town page does not name the county; Somerset County is from third-party listings.

  “shoreland zoning regulations along with town ordinances apply to you.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Waterfront lots in Hartland town's shoreland zone: new permanent structures within 100 feet of lakes and 75 feet of rivers

  • Some exceptions exist; the town page does not list them.
  • Applies to shoreland-zone lots only, not general lot lines.
  • Not a per-district setback; the shoreland zoning ordinance text was not opened to confirm exact measurement rules.

  shoreland no-new-permanent-structure distance from lakes: 100 feet (some exceptions exist) · shoreland no-new-permanent-structure distance from rivers: 75 feet (some exceptions exist)

  “no new permanent structures are allowed within the 100' of the lakes or 75' of the rivers (some exceptions exist).”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Campers placed inside the shoreland buffer (100 feet of lakes, 75 feet of rivers) in Hartland town

  • Town says the buffer is a no-build zone and that campers are included in what is prohibited there.
  • Some exceptions exist; the town page does not list them.
  • Does not address occupancy of RVs outside the shoreland buffer, which was not found.

  “consider it the buffer or no zone. this includes campers, decking, permanent kayak racks, concrete patios, sheds, etc.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit applications in Hartland town handled through the Town Office and Code Enforcement Officer; some go to the planning board

  • Some permits go to the planning board, which meets once a month, and are reviewed before the agenda.
  • For shoreland zoning permits, the town recommends turning in applications at least 14 days before the next planning board meeting.
  • Permits are valid for 1 year.
  • Fees, forms, and an online portal were not found on the town site.

  “some permits will go to the planning board which meets once a month.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for Hartland town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption in Hartland town
• Inspections — Building inspections in Hartland town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy in Hartland town
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts in Hartland 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.