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

Town of Thorndike’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New dwellings, commercial structures, and outbuildings or additions over 100 square feet inside Thorndike town limits.

  • Building permit is issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • A building permit cannot be issued until all other relevant permits (lot, entrance, plumbing/septic) are in hand.
  • Fees double if work starts without a permit.

  “note that a building permit cannot be issued until all other relevant permits are in hand.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Thorndike town limits. Thorndike administers its own Land Use Ordinance, which divides the town into village and rural districts.

  • Text is the copy posted on thorndikeme.com marked as amended 3-19-16; no later amendment was located in the pages opened.
  • Shoreland zoning and floodplain overlays apply in addition to this ordinance.

  “all land in thorndike is either in the village district or the rural district.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for all land inside Thorndike town limits: village district and rural district.

  • District boundaries are described in the ordinance and shown on the Thorndike land use map, which the ordinance incorporates by reference; the map itself was not opened.

  “all land in thorndike is either in the village district or the rural district. district boundaries are described below and displayed on the thorndike land use map, which is hereby incorporated into this ordinance.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in the village district of Thorndike town.

  • Commercial structures in the village district have a 150-foot setback from road centerline.
  • Front setback is 15 feet from the rear lot line of a front lot between it and the access road, whichever is lesser.
  • Side and rear setbacks from property lines are separate and are not confirmed per district here.

  setback from road centerline, village district, residential: 325 feet (150 feet for commercial structures)

  “village district setback: no structure may be built closer than 325' (residential) or 150' (commercial) from the centerline of a public or private road, or 15' from the rear lot line of a front lot between it and the access road, whichever is lesser.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Structures in the rural district of Thorndike town.

    “rural district setback: no structure may be built closer than 450' from the centerline of a public or private road.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Second or additional dwelling units on one parcel inside Thorndike town limits.

  • Up to two dwelling units may be on one base lot; additional structures must be placeable for separate sale on building lots meeting district minimums.
  • Density is 1 unit per acre in the rural district and 1 unit per .5 acre in the village district (per the same section).

  dwelling units per base lot: <= 2 units (additional residential structures are limited by the per-building-lot density rule)

  “base lot up to two dwelling units may be placed on a single base lot.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  New or replacement septic systems and new plumbing inside Thorndike town limits, administered by the town's Licensed Plumbing Inspector.

  • The town's permit fees are set at the state minimum, per the land use permits page.
  • Septic designs must be prepared by a licensed site evaluator; state subsurface wastewater rules were not opened.

  “if you are installing new plumbing and/or a new or replacement septic system, you will need a permit from the licensed plumbing inspector (lpi) brian croft.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing a new or replacement septic system or expanding use of an existing one inside Thorndike town limits.

  • Permit issued by the licensed plumbing inspector; the septic design must be prepared by a licensed site evaluator.
  • Permits are valid for 2 years.
  • Fees double if work starts without a permit.

  “permits are good for 2 years. fees double if you start work or create a lot without first obtaining a permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New or replacement septic systems in Thorndike town limits.

  • The inspection requirement is stated on the land use permits page; the ordinance also requires the plumbing inspector to inspect and approve septic design and installation where a second unit is added to a base lot with an existing dwelling.
  • Inspection standard is applied through the Licensed Plumbing Inspector.

  “a licensed site evaluator will have to design your septic system, even if just an outhouse. the design and construction are then approved by the lpi.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and new roads inside Thorndike town limits, handled by the Planning Board.

  • The Subdivision Ordinance is posted on thorndikeme.com but was not opened; its standards are not confirmed here.
  • Per the land use permits page, subdivisions and new roads are handled through the Planning Board chair.

  “the board administers ordinances related to significant land use development proposals such as subdivisions, cell towers, solar farms, new roads and any commercial development”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New entrances and changes to existing entrances intersecting a public road inside Thorndike town limits, permitted by the road commissioners.

  • Permit is issued by the road commissioners (currently the board of selectmen) per the permits page.
  • Applies to new or altered driveways and farm/woods roads per the permits page.

  “entrance permits for new or altered driveways and farm/woods roads are administered by the road commissioners (currently the board of selectmen).”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Land use, building, entrance and plumbing permit fees inside Thorndike town limits.

  • The town's fee schedule is a linked PDF (land use permit fees 2016) that was not opened; dollar amounts are not recorded here.
  • Fees are set at the state minimum for plumbing and septic permits, per the permits page.
  • Fees double if work starts or a lot is created without a permit.

  “you may view, download and print permit applications and the fee schedule below”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Thorndike town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction in Thorndike town limits: whether a state or town building code is adopted.
• Inspections — General building inspections in Thorndike town limits (not septic or plumbing).
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new dwellings in Thorndike town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Thorndike town limits.

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.