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

Town of Freedom’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, reconstruction, alteration, addition, placement, relocation or replacement of structures inside Freedom town, under the town building ordinance

  • Permit must be obtained from the Freedom town code enforcement officer before the work starts.
  • Small detached accessory buildings are exempt (see separate claim).
  • Permits are void unless work is substantially commenced within six months of issuance and substantially completed within two years.
  • Application must include a copy of the plumbing permit, setbacks and a plot plan, among other listed items.
  • Ordinance text is dated: adopted at special town meeting May 16, 1990 and readopted June 7, 2006.

  permit commencement deadline: 6 months · permit completion deadline: 2 years

  “before the commencing of any of the activities described in section iii (scope) the owner shall obtain from the code enforcement officer of the town”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Small detached accessory buildings on a lot in Freedom town

    “up to two detached buildings of one hundred (100) square feet or less, or one building of two hundred (200) square feet or less, are allowed per lot without a building permit in the town of freedom, provided such buildings are not used for living space.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted building activity in Freedom town

  • Mobile homes, accessory structures, alterations and repairs: two inspections (site before construction, final).
  • All other structures: three inspections (site before construction, during construction, final).
  • The code enforcement officer keeps dated inspection records.

  inspections for mobile homes, accessory structures, alterations and repairs: 2 inspections · inspections for all other structures: 3 inspections

  “two inspections shall be made by the code enforcement officer of building activities involving mobile homes, accessory structures, alterations, and repairs.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Principal structures on lots in Freedom town (no district map located, so one claim for the residential lot standard)

  • Lots must also have at least 150 feet of frontage on a public street or road.
  • Multi-family dwellings need one-half acre plus 50 feet of frontage per unit after the first two units, with 50-foot setbacks from adjoining lines and no more than four units per structure.
  • Non-conforming lots of record may be built on if in separate ownership and not contiguous, per the building ordinance.

  minimum lot area for principal structure: >= 2 acres (multi-family dwellings have additional area requirements) · minimum road frontage for principal structure on public road: >= 150 feet

  “all principal structures shall be constructed or placed upon lots that have a minimum of two (2) acres.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees in Freedom town

  • The 2006 ordinance text sets the fee amounts shown; the ordinance says the selectboard establishes fees as part of a permit fee schedule kept at the town clerk or on the town website.
  • The current fee schedule was not opened, so the amounts may have changed.
  • A fee also applies for a permit after the fact (amount not stated in the excerpt).

  shed, barn or garage permit fee: 15 USD (per 2006 ordinance text; current schedule may differ) · house trailer or manufactured home permit fee: 30 USD (per 2006 ordinance text; current schedule may differ) · house permit fee: 40 USD (per 2006 ordinance text; current schedule may differ) · commercial building permit fee: 100 USD (per 2006 ordinance text; current schedule may differ)

  “$15.00 for a shed, barn or garage $30.00 for a house trailer or manufactured home $40.00 for a house $100.00 for a commercial building”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process in Freedom town

  • Application is made to the code enforcement officer on forms the officer provides.
  • Denials go to the applicant and the planning board; the officer must keep a file of applications and decisions.

  decision deadline after completed application: <= 30 days

  “the code enforcement officer shall either issue the requested permit or transmit a notice of denial to the applicant and the planning board of the town of freedom within thirty (30) days of a completed application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes in Freedom town
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Freedom town: which building code, if any, is adopted
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes in Freedom town
• Local zoning — Land inside Freedom town, Waldo County, Maine: whether the town adopts and administers a general zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts in Freedom 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.