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

Town of Arundel’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures erected, moved, renovated, or structurally altered inside Arundel town limits; signs and earth-material work over 10 cubic yards.

  • Repairs, replacement, normal maintenance not requiring structural elements, and decorative changes are exempt if conforming with applicable law and no other permit-triggering physical modification occurs.
  • Work without a permit may result in a fine of $100 to $2,500.

  earth material threshold: > 10 cubic yards (A permit is required for earth material in excess of this amount.)

  “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, renovated, or structurally altered no sign shall be erected, no earth material in excess of 10 cubic yards without a permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Building-related work inside Arundel town limits.

  • Building inspections require 24 hours' notice.
  • The town page states that building-related permits and inspections are available through the Code Enforcement Office, but the opened material did not establish which construction stages require inspection.

  notice: 24 hours (Building inspections.)

  “BUILDING INSPECTIONS REQUIRE 24 HOURS NOTICE”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of any lot, structure, or changed use inside Arundel town limits.

  • The lot, building, or structure must comply with the ordinance and other local and state laws before a certificate may issue.

  “A Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Code Enforcement Officer is required in advance of the use or occupancy of any lot, structure or change of the use thereon.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land and structures inside Arundel town limits.

  • The ordinance governs all land and structures within town boundaries.

  “The provisions of this ordinance shall govern all land and all structures within the boundaries of the Town of Arundel.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Arundel town limits.

  • Zone boundaries are established on the Official Land Use Map.
  • The list includes land-use, overlay, and shoreland zoning districts.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance, the Town is hereby divided into the following districts:”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Temporary camping vehicles on residential property inside Arundel town limits.

  • Occupancy is limited to 30 cumulative days in 12 months.
  • No fee may be charged.
  • Household toilet and washing facilities must be available with permission.
  • No more than three temporary camping vehicles or shelters may be occupied on the property during 12 months.

  maximum occupancy: <= 30 days (Cumulative in a 12-month period on residential property.)

  “Persons may occupy a Temporary Camping Vehicle and /or temporary shelters located on a residential property for a period not to exceed thirty (30) cumulative days within a 12 month period, provided;”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary shelters and camping vehicles on residential property inside Arundel town limits.

  • Occupancy is capped at 30 cumulative days per 12 months, subject to the ordinance's sanitation, fee, permission, and density requirements.
  • Special events may receive CEO permission to exceed use and density limits, but may not exceed 10 days or three events per property in 12 months.

  maximum residential occupancy: <= 30 days (Cumulative in a 12-month period.)

  “No special event shall be exceed 10-day duration, nor shall a single property host more than three (3) such special events in any 12 month period.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Permit applications for property inside Arundel town limits that is not served by public sewer.

  • The applicant must submit a valid plumbing permit or completed plumbing-permit application including a site evaluation approved by the plumbing inspector.

  “If the property is not served by a public sewer, a valid plumbing permit or a completed application for a plumbing permit, including the site evaluation approved by the plumbing inspector, shall be submitted.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Temporary camping vehicles and temporary shelters inside Arundel town limits.

  • A fixture may be used only if it discharges to an approved on-site subsurface wastewater system or an integral vehicle holding tank.
  • Holding-tank contents must be lawfully disposed of.
  • Discharge into pits, privies, the ground, or surface waters is prohibited.

  “No sewage or wastewater from Temporary Camping Vehicle or temporary shelters shall be discharged into pits or privies, onto the surface of the ground, or into surface waters including wetlands streams, and waterbodies.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Structures with plumbing in cluster/planned-unit developments inside Arundel town limits.

  • Connection to public sanitary sewer is required if available; otherwise the ordinance requires a central collection and treatment system unless the Planning Board allows individual systems under stated hydrogeologic and feasibility conditions.

  “All structures with plumbing in a cluster/planned unit development shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer system, if available, or to a central collection and treatment system”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions inside Arundel town limits.

  • Applications must be submitted to the Planning Office at least 14 days before the scheduled Planning Board meeting.
  • Applications are not placed on the agenda until complete as determined by the Town Planner.

  submission deadline: >= 14 days (Before the scheduled Planning Board meeting.)

  “The Board is responsible for reviewing applications for land subdivisions, multifamily developments and conditional uses as required by the Land Use Ordinance.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town permit applications inside Arundel town limits.

  • The appropriate application fee must accompany an application.
  • The Board of Selectmen sets permit fees annually.
  • A fee is doubled when work or a use starts before permit issuance.

  “The Board of Selectmen shall, on an annual basis, set the fees for permits. (Amended June 14, 2000)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications inside Arundel town limits.

  • Every applicant must submit a written application with the listed project, site-plan, plan, value, and other required information.
  • The CEO must identify insufficiency within 15 business days; a corrected application must be resubmitted within 10 business days.
  • A conforming application is issued within 10 days after receipt and payment; other-authority review may be required.

  CEO sufficiency notice: <= 15 business days (From receipt of an insufficient application.) · permit issuance: <= 10 days (For a conforming application after payment of the required fee.)

  “Every applicant for a permit shall submit a written application which shall include:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Arundel town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwelling in Arundel Urban Residential R-1 District.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Arundel town limits.
• Septic inspection — Subsurface wastewater systems inside Arundel town limits.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Arundel 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Arundel means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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