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

Town of Bridgewater’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures over 100 square feet, exterior alterations or additions, pools of any size, and conversions inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The 100-square-foot threshold applies to structure construction.
  • A sketch or plan including site plan and elevation must accompany a permit request.
  • The Building Inspector issues the permit within 10 days unless the work conflicts with appropriate Town ordinances.

  structure area threshold: > 100 square feet (Permit also required for exterior alterations or additions, pools of any size, and conversions.)

  “No structure construction shall be commenced without the issuance of a Building Permit if the structure exceeds one hundred (100) square feet. No alterations or additions to the exterior of the structure shall be commenced without the issuance of a Building Permit. Swimming pools of any size, above or below the ground, require the issuance of a Building Permit. A Building Permit shall be required for conversions.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction and alterations regulated by Bridgewater Building Regulations.

  • Inspections are periodic and evaluate fulfillment of applicable Town ordinances.

  “Periodic inspections of all construction and alterations shall be made by the Building Inspector to see that all appropriate ordinances of the Town are being fulfilled.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Structures inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The Building Inspector must certify fulfillment of all appropriate Town ordinances before occupancy.

  “No structure shall be occupied until an occupancy permit has been issued by the Building Inspector certifying that all terms of all appropriate ordinances of the Town of Bridgewater have been fulfilled.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The ordinance is enacted by Town voters and district boundaries are determined under the Town zoning map.

  “This ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the "Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Bridgewater."”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The official zoning map is part of the ordinance and is on file with the Bridgewater Planning Board.

  districts: GR General Residential (Lake District and River Road District); RR Mountain District; C Commercial; CI Commercial/Industrial

  “The Town of Bridgewater is divided into the following districts as shown on the official Zoning Map: GR - General Residential 1a. Lake District 1b. River Road District RR - Mountain District C - Commercial CI - Commercial/Industrial”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling units inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The 500-square-foot requirement does not apply to seasonal property.

  minimum ground floor area: >= 500 square feet (Does not apply to seasonal property.)

  “Every dwelling unit to be used by a single family shall have a minimum ground floor area of five hundred (500) square feet. The foregoing does not apply to seasonal property.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Mountain District inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • Lot suitability depends on soil and slope under state standards.
  • Required lot size must include 30,000 contiguous suitable square feet meeting current state standards.
  • Areas with slopes exceeding 30 percent cannot be included; the Planning Board may request a test pit before subdivision approval.

  minimum lot area: >= 5 acres (Subject to stated state-standard, suitable-site, and slope conditions.) · minimum contiguous suitable site: >= 30000 square feet (Must meet current New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Division standards.)

  “lot size: the minimum area of any lot shall be at least five (5) acres, depending on soil and slope conditions, as may be suitable to sustain development according the state standards. each lot shall contain within the required lot size a minimum suitable site of thirty thousand (30,000) contiguous square feet which meets current new hampshire water supply and pollution control division standards.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — General Residential District, including Lake District and River Road District, inside Bridgewater town limits.

    “lot size: the minimum area of any lot shall be at least two (2) acres in size, depending on soil and slope conditions, as may be suitable to sustain development according to state standards. wetland soils and slope areas of an incline of greater than fifteen percent (15%) may not be included in the minimum lot size.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The ordinance separately requires setbacks from roads, lot boundaries, lakes, rivers, and named brooks.

  road/right-of-way setback: >= 35 feet (Measured between any structure and the edge of a public or private highway, street, road, or road right-of-way.) · lot-boundary setback: >= 20 feet (Applies to any lot boundary.) · waterbody setback: >= 50 feet (Applies to lakes, rivers, and listed brooks.)

  “shall be a minimum distance of thirty-five (35)’ feet between any structure and the edge of any highway, street, road or road right-of-way whether public or private. no structure shall be located within twenty feet (20') of any boundary of the lot on which it is located. no structure shall exist with in fifty feet (50') of any lake, river, or the following brooks: dick brown, woodman, clay, whittemore, great, fogg, able and tilton.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  General Residential District, including Lake District and River Road District, inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The open area must be devoted to landscaping or natural growth.

  maximum building/parking/driveway coverage: <= 30 percent (Includes parking and driveway areas.)

  “Lot Coverage: The building coverage on any lot, including parking and driveway areas, shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of any lot with the open area devoted to landscaping or natural growth.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Mountain District inside Bridgewater town limits.

    “Lot coverage: The building coverage on any lot including parking and driveway shall not exceed percent (15%) of any lot, with the open space area devoted to landscaping or natural growth.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Mountain District inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • Subject to applicable zoning, building, septic, and other Town and state requirements.

  “a. permitted uses: (1) one and two-family dwelling units. (2) home business. (3) manufactured housing. (4) agricultural uses. (5) accessory buildings and uses.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • For tracts over 20 acres or more than 10 lots, the Board may require at least 5 percent reserved for recreational or other non-residential use.
  • Subdivision on Class 6 roads is not permitted until specified road-upgrade conditions are met, subject to listed Planning Board bonding authority.

  potential reserved area for qualifying developments: >= 5 percent (Tracts exceeding 20 acres or involving more than 10 lots, as determined by the Board.)

  “For the development of tracts of land in excess of twenty (20) acres, or involving in excess of ten (10) individual lots whether planned or completed at one time or in stages, not less than five percent (5%) of the area may be required to be reserved for suitable recreational or other non-residential use or purpose as may be determined by the Board.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Development subject to Town Site Plan Review inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • An approved driveway permit must be from the State Highway Department and/or Town of Bridgewater.
  • Sight distance is measured from 10 feet off the pavement edge.

  sight-distance measurement point: 10 feet (Measured off edge of pavement at entrance.)

  “For on-lot sewage systems: New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Division approval for construction. 2. Approved driveway permit from State Highway Department and/or the Town of Bridgewater. 3. Sight distance at entrance from ten feet (10') off edge of pavement.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development in special flood hazard areas inside Bridgewater town limits.

  • The requirement applies to areas designated as special flood hazard areas in the incorporated FEMA study and FIRM panels.
  • The Building Inspector reviews building permits for new construction or substantial improvements in a special flood hazard area.
  • Required federal or state approvals must be certified before a building permit is granted.

  “ITEM II: PERMIT REQUIRED All proposed development in any such flood hazard areas shall require a permit. ITEM III: PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW The Building Inspector shall review all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding.”

Still unanswered

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

• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Bridgewater town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Bridgewater town limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Bridgewater town limits.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Bridgewater town limits.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater 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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