Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Columbia Falls, Maine

Town of Columbia Falls’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering, enlarging or moving structures, and establishing or changing land uses, inside Columbia Falls town

  • Permit is issued by the Planning Board under the town's land use code; a building permit from the planning board is required before undertaking uses listed as requiring a building permit in the schedules of uses.
  • Activities listed as not requiring a permit (for example repair and maintenance within the existing footprint, and short-term temporary shelters outside the shoreland zone) are exempt.
  • Permits required by the code are in addition to permits required by other law, rule or ordinance.

  “a written permit or written approval from the planning board is required before undertaking any of the following activities, unless the activity is listed as not requiring a permit in section i-4”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Columbia Falls town limits (Washington County, Maine), under the town's own land use code

  • The town's land use code is part of its Code of Ordinances enacted 03-19-24; it sets land use districts, shoreland zoning subdistricts, site plan review, subdivision review and building regulations.
  • Shoreland zoning also reflects state law (38 m.r.s.a. § 435 et seq.) as cited in the code.

  “to implement the provisions of this chapter iii (land use districts), the town is divided into the following land use districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land use district map and district schedule for land inside Columbia Falls town

  • The official land use district map is referenced by the code but was not opened.
  • Full district names for C and R were not captured.

  “v village district c corridor district m mixed use rural district r rural district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in land use districts V, M, C and R (the four district symbols in the code's schedule of dimensional standards), inside Columbia Falls town

  • Shoreland zone exception: for a governmental, institutional, commercial, or industrial use adjacent to non-tidal areas, the minimum lot size is 60,000 square feet per principal structure.
  • State minimum lot size law (12 m.r.s.a. § 4807 et seq.) applies to lots using subsurface wastewater disposal, as cited in the code.
  • Full names of districts C and R were not captured in the excerpt.

  minimum lot size, district V: 43560 square feet (1 acre) · minimum lot size, district M: 43560 square feet (1 acre) · minimum lot size, district C: 43560 square feet (1 acre) · minimum lot size, district R: 43560 square feet (1 acre)

  “v m c r minimum lot size14 (square feet) 43,560 (1 acre) 43,560 (1 acre) 43,560 (1 acre) 43,560 (1 acre)”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Public road and common lot line setbacks in land use districts V, M, C and R inside Columbia Falls town

  • Common lot line setback of 15 feet applies in all four districts.
  • Shoreland setbacks are a separate row in the table (with footnote 17) and were not captured.
  • Variances from setbacks go to the Board of Appeals.

  minimum public road setback, district V: 10 feet · minimum public road setback, district M: 50 feet · minimum public road setback, district C: 50 feet · minimum public road setback, district R: 50 feet · minimum setback from common lot line, all districts: 15 feet

  “minimum public road setback (feet) 10 50 50 50 minimum setback from any common lot line, including from private roads (feet) 15 15 15 15”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum lot coverage in land use districts V, M, C and R inside Columbia Falls town

  • Shoreland zone: 70% for any lot in the GD subdistrict and 20% for any lot in any other shoreland zoning subdistrict.
  • Column order follows the table header 'v m c r'.

  maximum lot coverage, district V: 75 percent (outside shoreland zone) · maximum lot coverage, district M: 50 percent (outside shoreland zone) · maximum lot coverage, district C: 75 percent (outside shoreland zone) · maximum lot coverage, district R: 25 percent (outside shoreland zone)

  “maximum lot coverage (%) 75% 50% 75% 25% if in the shoreland zone: 70% for any lot in the gd subdistrict. 20% for any lot in any other shoreland zoning subdistrict.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum height of principal or accessory structures in land use districts V, M, C and R inside Columbia Falls town

  • Shoreland zone maximum height is 35 feet per the same row.
  • Footnote 19 to the height row was not extracted.

  maximum structure height, district V: 50 feet · maximum structure height, district M: 75 feet (shoreland zone: 35 feet) · maximum structure height, district C: 75 feet (shoreland zone: 35 feet) · maximum structure height, district R: 75 feet (shoreland zone: 35 feet)

  “maximum height of principal structure or accessory structure (feet) 19 b. 50 75 75 75 if in the shoreland zone: 35”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Short-term placement of a recreational vehicle outside the shoreland zone inside Columbia Falls town

  • No planning board permit needed when placed for no more than 120 days per year, outside the shoreland zone.
  • Longer occupancy is not covered by this exemption and is not answered here.

  maximum days per year without permit: <= 120 days (outside the shoreland zone only)

  “g. outside of the shoreland zone: [...] 3. short-term siting of temporary shelters such as tents, recreational vehicles, or similar shelters for a period of no more than 120 days per year.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Individual private campsites (not part of a campground) where a recreational vehicle is placed inside Columbia Falls town

    “individual, private campsites not associated with a campground are allowed if the following standards are met: 1. only one recreational vehicle is allowed on a campsite. the recreational vehicle must not be located on any type of permanent foundation except for a gravel pad, and no structure except a canopy may be attached to the recreational vehicle.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary tents and similar shelters outside the shoreland zone inside Columbia Falls town

  • Allowed without a planning board permit for no more than 120 days per year, outside the shoreland zone.
  • Shoreland zone rules are separate and not captured here.

  maximum days per year without permit: <= 120 days (outside the shoreland zone only)

  “short-term siting of temporary shelters such as tents, recreational vehicles, or similar shelters for a period of no more than 120 days per year.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on lots located outside the shoreland zone inside Columbia Falls town

  • Accessory dwelling units are exempt from the minimum lot size requirement outside the shoreland zone.
  • An ADU may be built on a nonconforming lot with one or more single-family dwellings without increasing the existing nonconformity.
  • Per-district schedule of uses for ADUs was not fully read.

  “accessory dwelling units are exempt from the minimum lot size requirement.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Subsurface wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Columbia Falls town

  • The state Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules (10-144 c.m.r. ch. 241) govern design and installation, as cited in the town code.
  • The town's local plumbing inspector (LPI) approves the subsurface wastewater application.
  • State plumbing code (30-a m.r.s.a. § 4201 et seq.) also applies, as cited in the code.

  “a subsurface wastewater disposal system application (hhe-200 form) approved by the lpi and, if necessary, the dhhs.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New development that requires a subsurface wastewater disposal system inside Columbia Falls town

  • Application is submitted with the land use or building application to the planning board; the LPI approves the HHE-200 form.
  • State subsurface wastewater rules apply to the system design.
  • Shoreland zone standards add limits on clearing for a new system.

  “if the nature of the proposal requires the installation of a subsurface wastewater disposal system, a subsurface wastewater disposal system application (hhe-200 form) approved by the lpi and, if necessary, the dhhs.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creating lots in a subdivision or conveying land in a subdivision inside Columbia Falls town

  • Subdivision applications are reviewed by the Planning Board under chapter VI (subdivision regulations).
  • Creating a lot that is part of a subdivision requires a Planning Board permit under the code.
  • The subdivision thresholds and standards in chapter VI were not read.

  “review and act on subdivision applications in accordance with chapter vi (subdivision regulations)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for uses allowed with a building permit inside Columbia Falls town

  • Site plan or conditional use approvals under chapter V follow separate steps.
  • Permits are issued only if the Planning Board finds compliance with the code and other town rules.

  “submit a building permit application addressing the standards, participate in any applicable planning board meetings, and wait for approval.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Columbia Falls town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Columbia Falls town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Columbia Falls town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Columbia Falls town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Columbia Falls 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.