Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Center Harbor, New Hampshire

Town of Center Harbor’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land within Center Harbor town limits.

  • The ordinance is effective from adoption by Center Harbor voters.

  “This ordinance shall pertain to all land within the boundaries of the Town of Center Harbor and shall be in effect from the time of adoption by the Voters of Center Harbor.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The official zoning map in the Selectmen’s office is the final authority on current zoning status.
  • The Water Resources Conservation Overlay District imposes additional requirements on other zoning districts.

  “The Town of Center Harbor is considered to be Agricultural and Rural (AR) unless otherwise designated.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings, mobile homes, house trailers, and specified outdoor living areas inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • For rights-of-way wider than 50 feet, the road setback is one-half the right-of-way width plus 25 feet from the improved-surface centerline.
  • Specified small gazebos, screen houses, and storage structures may receive a special exception within the shorefront setback, subject to stated footprint, height, and shoreline limits.
  • Driveways, internal roadways, and parking lots have a 10-foot property-boundary setback unless required written permission is filed.

  road centerline setback: >= 50 feet (For structures and outdoor living areas over 80 square feet.) · other lot-line setback: >= 15 feet · lake or pond shoreline setback: >= 75 feet (Specified structures may receive a special exception.)

  “No building, mobile home, house trailer, outdoor living areas over eighty (80) square feet of footprint or part or portion thereof shall be constructed or placed less than fifty (50) feet from the centerline of the improved surface used for public travel, or private way intended for public use.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • Church steeples, chimneys, cupolas, silos, and antennas are exempt from the general 35-foot provision.
  • On sloped sites, the ordinance specifies a measurement method and caps height measured from the lowest contiguous ground point at 40 feet.
  • Agricultural/Rural Zone live theaters and concert halls may obtain a special exception above 35 feet if all stated conditions are met.

  general maximum stories: <= 3 stories (Basement below ground level is not counted.) · general maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Specified features are exempt.) · maximum height from lowest contiguous ground point on sloped building site: <= 40 feet

  “No building shall be constructed in the Town of Center Harbor with more than three (3) stories not counting any basement below ground level, nor shall the overall building height exceed thirty-five (35) feet above ground level at the building foundation.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles in recreational camping parks and temporary camps inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • A recreational vehicle or recreational camping cabin may not be used or occupied as a year-round residence.
  • Outside a recreational campground or camping park, individual temporary camps require written permission of the private-land owner or tenant, or must be on open public land in accordance with all regulations.
  • A temporary camp must not be visible from a public road or from a dwelling other than one of the party granting permission.

  “No recreational vehicle or recreational camping cabin, as they are defined in NH RSA 216-I, or similar thing shall be used or occupied as a year round residence”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camps using recreational vehicles, tents, or improvised shelters on public or private land inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • Outside a recreational campground or camping park, an individual temporary camp on private land requires written permission of the owner or tenant; camps on open public land must comply with all regulations.
  • The camp must not be visible from a public road or from dwellings other than those of the party granting permission.

  “No recreational vehicles shall be occupied and no camps using such vehicles, tents or improvised shelters shall be permitted outside of a recreational campground or camping park except individual temporary camps located on private land with the written permission of the property owner or tenant, or on open public land in accordance with all regulations.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes and manufactured-home-type dwellings inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The lot must be the same size and meet the same requirements as for any other dwelling unit.
  • The unit must be mounted on a permanent foundation and its underside may not be open to view.
  • A mobile home in use before enactment is exempt from these restrictions and may be replaced within one year after removal at the owner's discretion.

  “The lot containing the mobile home shall be of the same size and shall meet the same requirements as the lot for any other dwelling unit. The mobile home shall be mounted on a permanent foundation, and the area under the mobile home shall not be open to view”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units in existing owner-occupied structures inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The lot must meet Section 9 minimum lot-size requirements.
  • Adequate water supply, sewage disposal or approved septic capacity, and off-street parking are required.
  • Only one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per lot.
  • An interior door between the principal and accessory dwelling unit is required.
  • The gross floor area may not exceed 900 square feet.
  • The structure may not be a townhouse, qualifying condominium unit, or manufactured housing unit as defined by RSA 674:31.

  maximum accessory dwelling unit gross floor area: <= 900 square feet · accessory dwelling units per lot: <= 1 unit

  “An Accessory Dwelling Unit may be allowed in an existing owner-occupied structure if all of the following conditions exist”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Town permitting of construction or reconstruction of septic systems inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The town construction permit may be granted only upon compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations.

  “A Construction Permit (Permit) shall be obtained by the owner or the owner’s agent from the Selectmen for all construction including construction or reconstruction of a septic system.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Repair, replacement, new construction, construction, or reconstruction of septic systems inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • A town construction permit may be granted only upon compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations.
  • The Town Code Enforcement page lists a $50 Sewage Disposal System Permit fee.

  sewage disposal system permit fee: 50 USD

  “Any work for repair, replacement or new construction of septic systems”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Residential subdivisions inside Center Harbor town limits, including cluster residential subdivisions in the Agricultural and Rural District.

  • Cluster residential subdivisions are permitted as an innovative land-use control in the Agricultural and Rural District.
  • Required Planning Board applications, including subdivision and multifamily site-plan applications, must be filed concurrently for a cluster development.

  “cluster residential subdivisions are permitted as a innovative land use control, pursuant to RSA 674:21, for all residential subdivisions within the Agricultural and Rural District.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway construction inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The town lists the permit at $50 and directs applicants to contact the Road Agent.
  • Existing normal driveway repairs without surface expansion may qualify for a Permit by Notification rather than a construction permit.

  driveway construction permit fee: 50 USD

  “Driveway Construction Permit (Contact the Road Agent ([email protected])) | $50”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development, including manufactured homes, in flood-prone areas inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The building inspector reviews building-permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements for flood safety.
  • New or replacement water, sewer, and septic systems in flood-prone areas require assurance regarding design and siting.
  • Appeals from the Building Inspector go to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and special flood-variance standards apply.

  “All proposed development, including manufactured homes, in floodprone areas shall require a permit.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town construction, trade, septic, and driveway permits inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • Construction Permit Rates are labeled as of 03/2022 and show a $25 minimum fee.
  • The town states renewal fees are based on the current fee schedule when a permit is renewed after expiration.

  construction permit minimum fee: 25 USD (Rates labeled as of 03/2022.) · new building fee: per 0.25 USD per square foot (Includes attached garage.) · sewage disposal system permit fee: 50 USD · driveway construction permit fee: 50 USD

  “Construction Permit Rates (as of 03/2022)- $25 Minimum Fee”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town construction permits inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • The stated 14-day review timeframe may be delayed if the building department needs additional applicant information.
  • The ordinance’s permit term, renewal, posting, and application conditions also apply.

  stated permit review timeframe: <= 14 days (May be delayed if additional information is required.)

  “Permits will be reviewed within 14 days. This timeframe may be delayed if the building department requires additional information from the applicant.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Center Harbor

Town of Center Harbor does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential (RES) District inside Center Harbor town limits.

  • Class 1 means off-lot sewer and water; Class 2 means off-lot sewer or water; Class 3 means on-lot sewer and water.
  • Class 2 is subject to soil conditions permitting.
  • Road-frontage requirements refer to § 9:4:5; special exceptions are addressed in Appendix A.

  Class 1 minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · Class 2 minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet (Soil conditions permitting.) · Class 3 minimum lot area: >= 40000 square feet

  “Class 1 10,000 100** 10,000 Class 2 20,000* 100** 20,000 Class 3 40,000 150** 40,000”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Center Harbor town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Center Harbor town limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Center Harbor town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Center Harbor town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Center Harbor 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 Center Harbor 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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