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

Town of Jackman’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, modification, additions, and pre-built structures in the Town of Jackman

  • Permit is required for work that will increase building structures on the property by 100 square feet or greater.
  • Detached utility structures of 100 square feet or less are exempt; routine maintenance and repair without changing dimensions are exempt.
  • The town's ordinance text shows an 'ordinance adopted:' line left blank and states it takes effect when enacted by town voters; no adoption date was found, so confirm enactment before relying on it.
  • Town code enforcement page states a building permit is required and a $25 fee applies.
  • Permit decision within 45 days of a complete written application.

  building permit fee: 25 USD (payable at time of application)

  “no person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity shall construct new, modify, add to an existing structure, or add a pre-built structure in the town which will increase the building structures on the property by 100 square feet or greater without a permit issued in advance by the town office for the town of jackman.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Shoreland zoning districts in Jackman town; no general zoning district map found

  • The shoreland ordinance establishes resource protection, limited residential, limited commercial, general development I, general development II, and stream protection districts.
  • District boundaries and the table of land uses were not read in full.

  “b. limited residential district 13 c. limited commercial district 13 d. general development i district 13 e. general development ii district 14 f. stream protection district 14”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential lots inside Jackman town's shoreland zone (general minimum lot standard, section 15(a)(1)(a), one claim for residential per-dwelling-unit lots); not verified for land outside the shoreland zone or for individual districts

  • Land below the normal high-water line and land beneath roads serving more than two lots is excluded from the lot area calculation.
  • Lots on opposite sides of a public or private road are each a separate tract unless the road was established by the owner of land on both sides.
  • Where more than one dwelling unit is on a parcel, each additional dwelling unit must meet all dimensional requirements.
  • District-specific minimums for the limited residential district and the general development districts were not read; a followup is recorded.

  minimum lot area, residential per dwelling unit: 40000 sq ft (shoreland zone only) · minimum shore frontage, residential per dwelling unit: 200 ft (shoreland zone only)

  “minimum lot area (sq. ft.) minimum shore frontage (ft.) (1) (a) residential per dwelling unit 40,000 200”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New principal and accessory structures inside Jackman town's shoreland zone, measured from the normal high-water line of a water body or the upland edge of a wetland

  • Setback is 100 feet from great ponds classified GPA and rivers flowing to them, and 75 feet from other water bodies, tributary streams, or wetland edges.
  • The ordinance sets different setbacks for other districts: 250 feet in the resource protection district and 25 feet in the general development I district (section 15(b)(1)); those district rules are not quoted here.
  • Setbacks outside the shoreland zone were not found; no front, side, or rear yard setbacks were located.

  setback from great pond or river flowing to great pond: 100 ft (horizontal distance from normal high-water line; 250 ft in resource protection district, 25 ft in general development I district) · setback from other water bodies, tributary streams, or wetland edge: 75 ft (horizontal distance from normal high-water line or upland edge of wetland)

  “all new principal and accessory structures shall be set back at least one hundred (100) feet, horizontal distance, from the normal high-water line of great ponds classified gpa and rivers that flow to great ponds classified gpa, and seventyfive (75) feet, horizontal distance, from the normal high-water line of other water bodies, tributary streams, or the upland edge of a wetland”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Individual private campsites inside Jackman town's shoreland zone, not associated with campgrounds

  • Allowed only within the shoreland zone and only when the listed conditions are met; the ordinance caps campsites at one per lot existing on the effective date or 30,000 square feet of lot area, whichever is less.
  • Campsite placement, including a recreational vehicle or tent platform, must be set back 100 feet from great ponds classified GPA and rivers flowing to them, and 75 feet from other water bodies, tributary streams, or wetland edges.
  • Only one recreational vehicle is allowed on a campsite, and it may not be placed on a permanent foundation.
  • Camping outside the shoreland zone is not covered by this claim.

  campsites per lot: 1 count (or 30,000 square feet of lot area, whichever is less)

  “individual private campsites not associated with campgrounds are allowed provided the following conditions are met: (1) one campsite per lot existing on the effective date of this ordinance, or thirty thousand (30,000) square feet of lot area within the shoreland zone, whichever is less, may be permitted.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Plumbing and septic system permits for property inside Jackman town, administered by the town's code enforcement and plumbing inspector

  • The town's page names its code enforcement and plumbing inspector and sends owners to the town for the plumbing permit.
  • State subsurface wastewater rules still apply; the town page does not restate them.

  “jackman now requires a building permit we do require a plumbing permit. you must get the permit before work on your system begins.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Outhouses and privies in Jackman town

  • Privies and outhouses are excluded from the building permit exemption and need a plumbing permit from a licensed plumbing inspector.
  • No rule found on whether composting or other off-grid sanitation is allowed.

  “note: this does not include outhouses or privies, as they require a permit from a licensed plumbing inspector.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Jackman town

  • The town lists Subdivision Regulations and a Subdivision Application form on its ordinances page; the regulation text was not opened, so the review thresholds are not stated here.

  “subdivision regulations subdivision application forms town limits for hunting”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development inside mapped flood areas covered by the shoreland zoning ordinance in Jackman town

  • The quoted condition applies within the shoreland ordinance's flood provisions; the town's separate floodplain ordinance (2012 version listed on the ordinances page) was not opened.
  • Floodplain permit requirements from the separate floodplain ordinance are unverified.

  minimum elevation above 100-year floodplain: >= 1 ft (all buildings, including basements, in the flood provisions)

  “the lowest floor elevation or openings of all buildings and structures, including basements, shall be elevated at least one foot above the elevation of the 100 year flood, the flood of record, or in the absence of these, the flood as defined by soil types identified as recent flood-plain soils.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building, shoreland zoning, and plumbing permits in Jackman town

  • Plumbing permit fee is listed as variable ('$vary'); the CMP permit approval fee is $10 on the same page.
  • The building permit ordinance allows selectmen to revise the building permit fee after a public hearing, so the listed fee may change.
  • Fees come from the town code enforcement page and the building permit ordinance text.

  building permit fee: 25 USD (payable at application; selectmen may revise after public hearing) · shoreland zoning permit fee: 50 USD (per the code enforcement page)

  “building permit: $25 shoreland zoning permit: $50 plumbing permit: $vary cmp permit approval: $10”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications in Jackman town

  • Decision timing is 45 days from receipt of a complete, written application.
  • The ordinance requires a positive finding that existing and applicable town ordinances are complied with.
  • Permits are valid for one year from issue; projects over 25% complete at two years may continue.

  decision period: 45 days (from receipt of a complete, written application)

  “town office officials shall decide whether to issue a permit within 45 days of receipt of a complete, written application and make a positive finding that all existing and applicable town ordinances are complied with.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Jackman town
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Jackman town
• Inspections — Construction inside Jackman town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Jackman town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Jackman 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.