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

Town of Madison’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, substantial improvements, and mechanical installations inside Madison town.

  • A substantial improvement is work exceeding $8,500 based on contractor rate and material costs, whether or not the applicant performs the work.
  • In-kind, non-mechanical repair or replacement is exempt from the substantial-improvement definition if there is no interior or exterior change to the footprint or floorplan.
  • The applicant must obtain the permit before starting work.

  substantial-improvement value threshold: > 8500 USD (Based on contractor's rate and material costs; in-kind non-mechanical repair/replacement with no footprint or floorplan change is exempt from the definition.)

  “Upon the effective date of this Ordinance, it shall be unlawful to start any construction, substantial improvement or mechanical installation in the Town of Madison when a permit is required without first obtaining, from the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer, a building and/or mechanical permit according to the following procedure.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Projects subject to Madison's building and mechanical permit ordinance.

  • The owner and/or contractor is responsible for scheduling the foundation, framing, mechanical, insulation, and final inspections with the Code Enforcement Officer if applicable.
  • A $50 reinspection fee applies for each inspection after two attempts at final-inspection approval.

  reinspection fee: 50 USD (Charged for each inspection after two attempts at final-inspection approval.)

  “The property owner and/or contractor(s) are responsible for scheduling the following inspections with the CEO (if applicable): Foundation, Framing, Mechanical (electrical, plumbing, gas), Insulation and Final*”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  All projects subject to the final-inspection provision inside Madison town.

  • Use and/or occupancy cannot occur until the Certificate of Compliance is issued.

  “Final Inspection – ALL PROJECTS – Use and/or occupancy shall not occur until the Certificate of Compliance is issued”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Madison town, Carroll County, New Hampshire.

  • The ordinance is administered and enforced by the Town's Board of Selectmen or designated Building Inspector; variances and exceptions are handled as provided in the ordinance.

  “This ordinance shall be known and may be cited as The Zoning Ordinance, Madison, New Hampshire and is hereinafter referred to as “This Ordinance.””

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Madison town.

  • The ordinance identifies Rural Residential, Commercial, Village, Wetlands Conservation, Eidelweiss Residential, and Groundwater Protection districts; Wetlands Conservation and Groundwater Protection are overlays where stated.

  “The Groundwater Protection District is an overlay district and includes within its boundaries the Wellhead Protection Areas and Stratified Drift Aquifers shown on the map entitled “Drinking Water Resources and Potential Contamination Sources for the Town of Madison” dated April 8, 1999, by NHDES.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing and mobile homes inside Madison town.

  • Manufactured housing is permitted on individual lots in Rural Residential, Village, and Commercial districts if dimensional requirements are met, except nonconforming lots of record.
  • It must connect to sewer and water sources meeting applicable local and State standards.
  • Mobile homes and trailers are limited to Rural Residential and Commercial zones and may be no more than 10 years old at application.
  • Mobile homes and trailers are not permitted in the Eidelweiss Residential District.

  maximum mobile-home or trailer age at application: <= 10 years

  “In Madison mobile homes and trailers are limited to the rural residential and commercial zone. Mobile homes and trailers which are to be placed on any lot, and mobile homes and trailers which are intended to replace older mobile homes will be no more than 10 years old from the date of application”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Madison town.

  • ADUs are permitted in all zoning districts if they comply with §11.4.
  • The primary dwelling, ADU, and lot must remain in common ownership and cannot be converted to condominium or another ownership form.
  • An ADU may not exceed 800 square feet; two off-street spaces are required; only one ADU is allowed per lot.
  • RVs, campers, and mobile homes cannot serve as an ADU.
  • A licensed New Hampshire septic designer must certify capacity or the septic system must be upgraded.

  maximum ADU size: <= 800 square feet · minimum ADU off-street parking: >= 2 spaces · maximum ADUs per lot: <= 1 ADU

  “11.2 Applicability Accessory Dwelling Units shall be permitted within all zoning districts, provided they comply with Section 11.4 of this Ordinance.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision applications inside Madison town.

  • All site-plan and subdivision applications require a preliminary non-binding hearing before submission of a full application.
  • Applications must be received by noon on the second Tuesday of a month to be placed on the public-hearing notice for the following month's meeting.

  “Currently, all site plan and subdivision applications require a preliminary non-binding hearing prior to submission of a full application.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development in any special flood-hazard area inside Madison town.

  • The requirement applies only in special flood-hazard areas.

  “All proposed development in any special flood hazard areas shall require a building permit.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building and mechanical permit applications inside Madison town.

  • The minimum building-permit fee is $50.
  • A $30 resubmission fee is due in addition to the original application fee for a revised resubmission after refusal.
  • Mechanical permits may be applied for separately and later than the building permit.

  minimum building permit fee: 50 USD · remodeling or renovation fee without footprint change: 50 USD · driveway permit fee for access onto Town roads: 40 USD

  “The minimum building permit fee is $50.00. TOTAL PERMIT FEES $_____________”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and mechanical permit applications inside Madison town.

  • Application must be made on the Inspector/Officer form with applicable fees and supporting documents before construction, substantial improvement, or mechanical installation begins.
  • The Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer must review a complete application and issue or refuse it within 20 business days.
  • A septic construction approval, driveway-regulation compliance, site sketch, energy-code application, and other listed documents are required where applicable.

  decision time after complete application: <= 20 business days · resubmission fee: 30 USD (In addition to the original permit application fee.)

  “The Building Inspector/ Code Enforcement Officer shall, within twenty (20) business days of receipt of a completed building permit application, review such application and either issue or refuse to issue a building permit to the applicant.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Madison

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

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Septic-system approvals required for building-permit applications inside Madison town.

  • State approval for construction is required as part of a Town building-permit application when necessary.

  “An Approval for Construction from the State of New Hampshire for a septic system, if necessary.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Madison town.
• Building code adopted — Building work inside Madison town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Madison's Rural Residential District.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Madison town.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Madison 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.