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

Town of Harrisville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any construction or alteration of any structure inside Harrisville town limits.

  • The Selectmen issue permits or authorize their issuance after determining that the proposal does not violate existing ordinances, laws, or regulations.

  “A building permit is required for any construction or alteration of any structure.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Accessory dwelling units and their primary residences inside Harrisville town limits.

  • This finding is limited to ADUs and their primary residences; the opened ordinance did not establish town-wide building-code adoption.
  • State Building Code and Fire Code requirements include construction, minimum living space, fire exits, and smoke alarms.

  “Both the ADU and the primary residence shall comply with the state Building Code and Fire Code regulations for construction, minimum living space, fire exits and smoke alarms.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Solar-energy-system installations inside Harrisville town limits.

  • This finding is limited to solar installations; the opened ordinance did not establish a general inspection requirement for every building project.
  • A building permit is also required.

  “All installations, regardless of type and location, require a building permit and an electrical inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Creation of a new accessory dwelling unit inside Harrisville town limits.

  • The new ADU must also receive a building permit and meet the article's standards.

  “The creation of a new accessory dwelling unit shall require a building permit and an occupancy permit and meet the standards contained in the section below.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Harrisville town limits.

  • The ordinance is administered and enforced by the Town of Harrisville.
  • The ordinance takes effect upon passage.

  “For the purpose of this ordinance, the Town of Harrisville is divided into the following Districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Harrisville town limits.

  • The ordinance establishes overlay constraints for historic, wetlands conservation, steep slopes, shoreland, wireless communication facilities, and floodplain areas.
  • District boundaries are on the zoning map revised and adopted by the Planning Board and filed with the Town Clerk.

  “The boundaries of these districts are hereby established as shown and defined on the zoning map of the Town of Harrisville as revised and adopted by the planning board.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Harrisville's Residential and Agricultural District.

  • Each lot also requires at least 250 feet of frontage.
  • The district is limited to farms or residences except for uses separately specified by the ordinance.

  minimum land area: >= 2 acres · minimum land area: >= 87120 square feet · minimum frontage: >= 250 feet

  “Each lot shall have a minimum frontage of two hundred-fifty (250) feet and a minimum land area of two (2) acres (87,120 square feet).”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in Harrisville's Residential and Agricultural District.

  • Listed accessory-type structures may be located by special exception no less than 25 feet from a public-right-of-way boundary or side and rear lot boundaries.

  public-right-of-way setback: >= 50 feet (Specified accessory-type structures may obtain a special exception for a 25-foot location.) · side setback: >= 40 feet (Specified accessory-type structures may obtain a special exception for a 25-foot location.) · rear setback: >= 40 feet (Specified accessory-type structures may obtain a special exception for a 25-foot location.)

  “No structure shall be placed closer than forty (40) feet to the side and rear boundaries of the lot.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Any parcel or lot inside Harrisville town limits.

  • Impervious roadway includes any driveway or parking area regardless of surface material.

  maximum impervious cover: <= 30 percent of lot area (Includes structural footprint, impervious roadway, and any other impervious cover.)

  “In no case shall any parcel or lot have an impervious cover of more than thirty (30) per cent of the lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures inside Harrisville town limits.

  • Silos, farm outbuildings, barns, residential chimneys, television and radio antennas, and small wind-energy-system towers are excepted.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Excepted structures listed in the ordinance.) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (Excepted structures listed in the ordinance.)

  “No structure shall exceed two and one half stories or thirty-five feet (35) feet in height”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational-vehicle occupancy on residential lots in all Harrisville zoning districts.

  • The vehicle may be occupied only by Selectmen permit.
  • Occupancy may not exceed 90 days in a calendar year.
  • Adequate sewage disposal and water supply are required.
  • Parking is subject to parking regulations.

  maximum occupancy period: <= 90 days per calendar year (Selectmen permit and adequate sewage disposal and water supply are required.)

  “The vehicle may, by approval of the selectmen, be occupied for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days in any calendar year”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing inside the Residential and Agricultural District in Harrisville.

  • The unit must be on a permanent foundation with wheels removed.
  • The foundation must be approved by the Town building inspector.
  • Placement requires a building permit and compliance with the lot-size, frontage, and other controls governing conventional single-family housing in the district.
  • A manufactured home may be temporarily occupied, with Selectmen permission, for one year while a property owner constructs or reconstructs a new residence.

  temporary manufactured-home occupancy: 1 year (By Selectmen permission and only in conjunction with construction or reconstruction of a new residence for the property owner.)

  “Manufactured housing is permitted only in the residential and agricultural district, subject to the following provisions:”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Subsurface sewage disposal systems serving structures inside Harrisville town limits.

  • For a modification, addition, replacement, or use that increases the load on a subsurface sewage disposal system, the Selectmen condition the building permit on a licensed septic-designer inspection certificate.
  • The certificate must show compliance with current Water Supply and Pollution Control Division standards of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

  “the selectmen as a condition of granting of a building permit shall require the property owner to supply a certificate of inspection from a licensed septic designer”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  A modification, addition, replacement, or use of a structure inside Harrisville town limits that increases the load on a subsurface sewage disposal system.

  • The Selectmen require the inspection certificate as a condition of the building permit.
  • The certificate must be from a licensed septic designer and certify adequacy for the proposed expanded use and compliance with current state standards.

  “supply a certificate of inspection from a licensed septic designer certifying that the existing septic system is adequate for the proposed expanded use”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Residential subdivisions inside Harrisville town limits.

  • All residential subdivisions must use a conservation-subdivision design approach unless exempt or granted a special-use permit.
  • Exemptions include: average lots of at least 11 acres with a deed restriction against further subdivision; a parent parcel of nine acres or less where no new road is required; or a subdivision creating five or fewer dwelling units that does not require a new road.
  • The Planning Board may issue a special-use permit for a conventional design under stated findings.

  exempt average lot size: >= 11 acres (Each created lot's deed must prohibit further subdivision.) · small-parent-parcel threshold: <= 9 acres (No new road may be required.) · small-subdivision threshold: <= 5 dwelling units (No new road may be required.)

  “all subdivisions for residential use shall use a conservation subdivision design approach, unless exempted under Section IV.B or granted a special use permit under Section IV.C.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development in FEMA-designated special flood hazard areas inside Harrisville town limits.

  • A special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment is required.
  • A building permit from the Selectmen or their designee is required.
  • The ordinance applies to FEMA special flood hazard areas identified by the cited study and maps, each dated May 23, 2006 or as amended.

  “All proposed development in any special flood hazard areas shall require a special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and a building permit issued by the Board of Selectmen, or the Board’s designee.”

• Short-term rentalsAllowed

  Tourist homes in Harrisville's Residential and Agricultural District.

  • This claim is limited to the ordinance-defined tourist-home use in the Residential and Agricultural District.
  • The ordinance defines a tourist home as rooms in a residence providing transient sleeping or living accommodations for a price.

  “TOURIST HOME: Any dwelling, or any room or groups of rooms located in a dwelling where transient accommodations for sleeping or living purposes are provided on a short term rental basis.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building, zoning, planning-board, and historic-district applications inside Harrisville town limits.

  • Payment may be made by cash or check to the Town of Harrisville.
  • For a building permit, the applicable fee is the greater of $50.00 or $0.20 per square foot.
  • ZBA, subdivision, and other listed fees include stated noticing fees where applicable.

  building permit minimum fee: >= 50 USD (The fee is $0.20 per square foot of construction if greater.) · building permit area fee: per 0.2 USD per square foot (Applies when greater than $50.00.)

  “Building Permit $50.00 or $.20 per square foot of construction, whichever is greater”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Harrisville town limits.

  • A permit issues only upon a determination that the proposed building or structure does not violate existing ordinances, laws, or regulations.
  • Permits are issued by or under authority of the Selectmen.

  “Building permits shall be issued by or under the authority of the selectmen upon determination that the proposed building or structure does not violate existing ordinances, laws or regulations.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Harrisville town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside Harrisville town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Harrisville town limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Harrisville town limits.
• Septic permit — Installation or replacement of an on-site septic system inside Harrisville 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 Harrisville 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.