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

Town of Prospect’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Prospect town (Waldo County, Maine) that lies in the town's shoreland zone, under the town-adopted Shoreland Zoning Ordinance

  • Only the ordinance title is confirmed; the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance text was not opened.
  • No comprehensive town zoning ordinance or zoning district map was found on the official site; this claim does not confirm one exists.
  • The town's Minimum Lot Size Ordinance also applies town-wide (see minimum_lot_size claim).

  “shoreland zoning ordinance site plan review ordinance subdivision ordinance tax acquired property ordinance”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units (as defined in the town's Minimum Lot Size Ordinance) inside Prospect town

  • This is a definition of 'dwelling unit' rather than a stand-alone minimum-size rule; it is the only size floor found.
  • Accessory dwelling units are excluded from that definition, so the 300 sq ft figure is not stated as a floor for accessory dwelling units.
  • Source is OCR text; verify against adopted original.

  minimum living area for a dwelling unit: >= 300 square feet (Definition of dwelling unit; excludes accessory dwelling units)

  “a room or group of rooms, containing at least three hundred (300) square feet of' living area”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New dwellings and principal buildings on any land inside Prospect town (single town-wide standard; no separate district schedule was found)

  • Two dwelling units per two-acre lot are allowed only if no existing dwelling unit of any kind is on the lot (text partly garbled in OCR).
  • Lots conveyed by registered deed before enactment and smaller than the standard may be used as building lots.
  • A dwelling or building destroyed by fire or other act of God may be replaced within two years if the replacement is complete or substantially underway.
  • The Planning Board may waive dimensional requirements for extraordinary hardship or special circumstances; the Board of Appeals may grant variances for dimensions only.
  • The PDF is an OCR scan with no stated adoption or effective date; verify the numbers against the Town's adopted original.
  • Ordinance may be amended by majority vote at regular town meeting.

  minimum lot size per dwelling or principal building: >= 2 acres (Lot must also accommodate a square measure of the stated minimum (see second parameter)) · minimum square measure (circle diameter, OCR-garbled): >= 150 feet (OCR reads 'no less than iso b 150 i'ect'; verify digits against adopted original)

  “the minimum lot size l'or all new (in ellings anrl ui buildings shall be two acres per dwel ii ng and or principal building”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New dwellings, accessory dwelling units and buildings on any land inside Prospect town (single town-wide standard; no separate district schedule was found)

  • Road setback (OCR text): a minimum of 50 feet from the centerline of a public or private right-of-way or 15 feet from the edge of the right-of-way, whichever is greater; the OCR digits are garbled and must be verified against the adopted original.
  • Setback from a state or state-aid highway must comply with the Title 23 section the ordinance cites.
  • Accessory dwelling units must comply with all setback requirements.
  • Variances may not be granted for setbacks from property lines or public or private rights-of-way (Board of Appeals), though the Planning Board may waive under its hardship authority.

  minimum distance from any property line: >= 25 feet (No part of any dwelling, accessory dwelling unit or building may be closer) · minimum road setback from centerline of right-of-way: 50 feet or 15 feet from edge of right-of-way, whichever is greater (OCR-garbled digits) feet (Verify against adopted original)

  “no part of any dwelling. accessory dwelling unit, and or building shall he closer than twenty- fi e feel to any property i ne”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes and modular homes placed as dwellings on any land inside Prospect town

  • Mobile homes built before June 15, 1976 are prohibited unless they meet the safety and design standards set by the state manufactured housing board.
  • Modular homes must be certified as built to the state modular standard and placed on permanent foundations (definition section).
  • Source is OCR text; verify against adopted original.

  mobile home construction date cutoff: < June 15, 1976 (Earlier units prohibited unless they meet state manufactured housing board safety and design standards)

  “mobile homes built before june 15. 1976. arc considered to he older mobile homes and are prohibited, unless they meet safety and design standards put forth by the state manufactured housing hoard”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on a lot inside Prospect town that already has one existing dwelling unit

  • Requires approval by the Code Enforcement Officer upon submission of the town's application form.
  • Must comply with all setback requirements.
  • Owner must give the CEO written verification that the unit is connected to adequate water and wastewater services (septic proof, or potable water tests for a well).
  • Source is OCR text; verify against adopted original.

  “a lot with one e.\isting dwelling unit shall be allowed to add an accessory dwelling unit”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Accessory dwelling units connected to a septic system in Prospect town (verification of adequacy only; not a general inspection rule for new homes)

  • Adequacy must be verified by a licensed plumbing inspector; plans must be prepared by a licensed site evaluator.
  • No general septic inspection requirement for new homes was found.

  “the septic system must he verified as adequate by a licensed plumbing inspector under title 30-a m.r.s.a. section 4221”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Prospect town under the town's Subdivision Ordinance

  • Only the ordinance title is confirmed; the Subdivision Ordinance text was not opened, so thresholds for what counts as a subdivision are unknown.

  “site plan review ordinance subdivision ordinance tax acquired property ordinance”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit requirement for new construction inside Prospect town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Prospect town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Prospect town
• Inspections — Building inspection for new construction inside Prospect town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Prospect 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.