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

Town of Solon’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction or placement of any principal or accessory structure over 200 square feet, and additions over 100 square feet, within Solon town

  • Permit must be obtained before construction or placement begins (excavation or placement on the land starts construction).
  • The code enforcement page says permits are issued by the planning board and that building permits are required; the ordinance says the landowner obtains the permit from the town.
  • Structures of 200 square feet or less, and additions of 100 square feet or less, are outside this permit requirement.

  structure size threshold: > 200 square feet (Additions use a 100 square foot threshold.) · addition size threshold: > 100 square feet

  “prior to the construction or placement of any structure, accessory, or principal, over two hundred (200) square feet in size, or an addition which exceeds one hundred (100) square feet, the landowner or designated agent is responsible for applying for and obtaining a building permit from the town.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction within Solon town limits

  • The code enforcement page says the town has adopted building-construction codes but does not name the codes or editions. The code edition and scope remain unidentified.

  “the code enforcement officer is responsible for the administering and enforcement of all town ordinances, as well as adopted codes relating to building construction within the town of solon.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Solon town's shoreland zone (within 250 feet of great ponds and rivers, 75 feet of streams, and upland edges of wetlands, as mapped on the town's official shoreland zoning map)

  • The sources opened establish a town-adopted shoreland zoning ordinance only. No general (non-shoreland) zoning ordinance was located in the sources opened, so the town's zoning outside the shoreland zone is not established.
  • Pages name Solon, Maine, ZIP 04979, consistent with Somerset County.

  “shoreland zoning ordinance solon, me adopted at annual town meeting march 2, 2019”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Districts within Solon town's shoreland zone only

  • Shoreland districts are resource protection, stream protection, limited residential and limited commercial, shown on the official shoreland zoning map.
  • No general zoning district map was found in the sources opened.

  “the areas to which this ordinance is applicable are hereby divided into the following districts as shown on the official shoreland zoning map which is made a part of this ordinance: (1) resource protection (2) stream protection (3) limited residential (4) limited commercial”

• SetbacksSpecified

  All new construction in Solon town after July 20, 2024 (general setback, not limited to a district)

  • Shoreland zone setbacks may be stricter (see the separate shoreland claim).

  setback from property lines: 15 feet · setback from public or private road right-of-way: 10 feet

  “fifteen (15) feet from all property lines; and b. ten (10) feet from a public or private road right of way.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — New principal and accessory structures inside Solon's shoreland zone, including the limited residential district

    “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 seventy-five (75) feet, horizontal distance, from the normal high-water line of other water bodies, tributary streams, or the upland edge of a wetland.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs and campers placed on land inside Solon town without a dwelling unit

  • Up to 30 cumulative days between April 1 and October 1 needs no permit.
  • Exception: this provision does not apply to RVs or campers parked in a licensed campground or RV park.
  • Longer placement beyond the April 1-October 1 window requires residential standards, including a subsurface wastewater system unless served by public sewer.

  occupancy threshold without temporary permit: <= 30 days (cumulative days between April 1 and October 1; exception for licensed campgrounds and RV parks)

  “a temporary occupancy permit must be obtained from the code enforcement officer or planning board if a recreational vehicle (rv) and/or camper is placed on a property without a dwelling unit, and the rv and/or camper will be occupied for more than thirty (30) cumulative days between april 1st and october 1st.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tents and similar shelters, and RVs or campers, occupied on land inside Solon town

  • Shelters occupied more than 60 cumulative days need a written sewage disposal plan.
  • Exception: this provision does not apply to RVs or campers in a licensed campground or RV park.

  occupancy threshold for written sewage disposal plan: <= 60 days (cumulative occupancy; RV/camper section also applies)

  “if a temporary occupancy permit is sought for a recreational vehicle/camper, tent or other similar shelter that is in place and will be occupied for more than sixty (60) cumulative days, a written sewage disposal plan describing the proposed method and location of sewage disposal shall be required for each site”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Undeveloped lots in Solon town served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system

  • The third and fourth units may be subject to a subdivision process if built within five years.
  • Subdivision ordinance requirements still apply.

  dwelling units per lot: <= 4 dwelling units (Undeveloped parcel served by centrally managed water)

  “if the parcel is in an area in solon served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system, the lot owner of record is permitted to have up to four (4) dwelling units.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Limited — Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on a lot where a single-family dwelling is the principal structure, inside Solon town

    “any lot where a single-family dwelling is the principal structure may establish one adu.”

  • Limited — Undeveloped lots in Solon town not served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system

    “if the parcel is not in an area served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system, the lot owner of record is permitted to have up to two (2) dwelling units per lot.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Subsurface wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Solon town: the town's Local Plumbing Inspector permits and verifies, under state subsurface wastewater rules

  • The Local Plumbing Inspector is a town official; the design standard comes from state rules (10-144 CMR ch. 241) and 30-A MRS §4221.
  • Site evaluator plans are required for subsurface disposal under state rules, as stated in the ordinance.

  “subsurface wastewater & plumbing if plumbing is required, you must obtain appropriate permits from the licensed plumbing inspector.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Subsurface wastewater (septic) systems and plumbing work inside Solon town

  • Permit applies when plumbing or subsurface wastewater work is involved, as the code enforcement page states.
  • Subsurface disposal plans for additional dwelling units must be prepared by a licensed site evaluator under state rules.

  “subsurface wastewater & plumbing if plumbing is required, you must obtain appropriate permits from the licensed plumbing inspector.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Plumbing and subsurface wastewater work for which the Local Plumbing Inspector has granted a permit, inside Solon town

  • Inspection applies to work for which a permit is granted.

  “plumbing inspectors shall inspect all plumbing for which permits are granted, within their respective municipalities, to ensure compliance with state rules and municipal ordinances”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation for RVs and campers on land inside Solon town without a septic system

  • Applies to temporary occupancy of RVs and campers; longer occupancy requires a residential-standard septic system unless the unit is served by public sewer.
  • Off-site disposal requires written authorization from the receiving facility or landowner.

  “where disposal is off-site, written authorization from the receiving facility or landowner is required.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions in Solon town through the Planning Board's subdivision permit process

  • The subdivision ordinance itself was not opened.
  • Subdivision review can apply to additional units on a lot within five years.

  “the planning board is responsible for reviewing and approving building permits, site plan permits, subdivision permits, and other land use ordinances.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Permit approval for structures in Solon town where floodplain management applies

  • The ordinance applies floodplain management only where applicable.
  • The planning board handles separate floodplain management ordinance requests (code enforcement page). The floodplain ordinance text was not opened.

  “the structure has met all state and local ordinances and municipal requirements, including where applicable, subsurface wastewater disposal, shoreland zoning, floodplain management, and site plan review”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application fees for Solon town

  • Fees are set by the board of selectmen and may be amended; the schedule shown is dated 04/01/2023.
  • Renewal or amendment fees are 50% of the original fee.

  residential building permit application fee: 100 USD (Residential; commercial is $200) · commercial building permit application fee: 200 USD

  “application fee schedule (04/01/2023) ●residential $100.00 ●commercial $200.00 ●residential accessory $50.00 ●commercial accessory $100.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application procedure in Solon town

  • Site plans are required with every building permit (code enforcement page).
  • Appeals go to the board of appeals within 30 days of a decision.

  “the landowner or their agent shall submit a building permit application at the town office on forms developed by the planning board.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Solon town
• Inspections — Building inspection for new construction in Solon town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Solon town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Solon town
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the single-family residential district in Solon 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.