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

Town of Hebron’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, structural enlargement, moving or locating of a building or structure, including prefabricated and mobile homes, dwelling-unit increases, or changes of use within Hebron town

  • Ordinary maintenance and repairs are exempt.
  • Listed items in the Lake and Rural Districts are also specifically exempt.
  • No construction may commence before issuance.

  Select Board action period after acceptance of complete application: <= 21 days

  “Any owner or lessee of real estate who plans to construct, structurally enlarge, move or locate a building or structure, including prefabricated and mobile homes, or increase the number of dwelling units in a building, or change the use thereof, shall file with the Board of Selectmen an Application for a Building Permit which shall clearly indicate the nature of the proposed plans.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within the Town of Hebron, New Hampshire

  • The ordinance is administered and enforced by the Board of Selectmen.

  “the following ordinance is hereby adopted by the voters of the Town of Hebron.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within Hebron town

  • The Floodplain District and Wetlands Protection Overlay District are overlay districts.
  • Where structures lie in two zones, the more restrictive provision governs.

  “For the purpose of this Ordinance, the Town of Hebron shall be divided into the following districts, as shown on the official zoning map to be filed with the office of the Town Clerk of Hebron upon the adoption hereof, and which is incorporated herein by reference.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Hebron's Common Historic District

  • Area is measured as usable land.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre of Usable Land (Historic District)

  “The minimum area of any lot in the Historic District shall be one acre of Usable Land;”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in Hebron's Lake and Rural Districts

    “in the Lake and Rural Districts two acres of Usable Land.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New structures and additions within Hebron town

  • Enumerated items are exempt.
  • Cluster developments must meet setbacks from cluster lot lines.
  • Small wind systems use Appendix A setbacks.

  highway setback: >= 50 feet (from edge of traveled portion) · property-boundary setback: >= 25 feet · residential-building separation: >= 50 feet

  “New structures and additions to existing structures shall not be erected within fifty (50) feet of the edge of the traveled portion of any highway, or within twenty-five (25) feet of any property boundary as measured in a horizontal plane. The minimum distance between residential buildings shall be fifty (50) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential lots within Hebron town

  • Remaining area must be landscaping or natural vegetation.
  • Cluster developments must meet the requirement.

  maximum residential lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “The Lot Coverage of any residential lot shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the Lot, with the remaining area devoted to landscaping or natural vegetation.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures within Hebron town

  • Television and radio antennae, lightning rods, cupolas, steeples, chimneys, and parts of buildings designed exclusively for agricultural non-residential uses are excepted.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (specified ordinance exceptions)

  “No building or structure, or part thereof, shall exceed thirty-five feet (35') in Height as measured from the average finished Grade at all exterior walls.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Campers and similar temporary living vehicles in Hebron's Common Historic District

  • The Selectmen may issue a permit for no more than 15 consecutive days upon written request by both landowner and occupant.
  • Construction trailers used during an active construction project are excluded from the living-vehicle rule but need a Select Board permit, not exceeding one year, before positioning or use.

  occupancy duration with Selectmen permit: <= 15 consecutive days (written request by landowner and occupant)

  “No campers or other similar temporary living vehicles may be occupied or lived in within the Historic District. The Selectmen may issue a permit for not over fifteen (15) consecutive days upon written request by both the land owner and the occupant.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campers and similar temporary living vehicles in Hebron's Common Historic District

  • A Selectmen permit may allow no more than 15 consecutive days following written request from both landowner and occupant.

  authorized temporary occupancy: <= 15 consecutive days (Selectmen permit)

  “The Selectmen may issue a permit for not over fifteen (15) consecutive days upon written request by both the land owner and the occupant.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Mobile homes in Hebron's Rural District

  • Must be installed on permanent enclosed foundations.
  • Oil, gas, and other accessory tanks must be covered or concealed from public view.
  • Disturbed areas other than driveways, walkways, and parking areas must be restored or landscaped.

  “Mobile homes shall be allowed provided that: a) all such mobile homes are installed on permanent enclosed foundations; b) all oil, gas and other accessory tanks to said mobile homes are covered or otherwise concealed from the public view;”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units associated with existing single-family detached dwellings within Hebron town

  • One ADU is permitted per qualifying lot.
  • Special Exception approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Select Board approval of a Residential Building Application are required.
  • The owner must reside in the ADU or principal residence.
  • Maximum ADU size is 800 square feet; no more than two bedrooms and four occupants.

  maximum ADU area: <= 800 square feet · maximum ADU bedrooms: <= 2 · maximum ADU occupants: <= 4 persons

  “One ADU is permitted per lot provided the lot is an existing legal lot of record and the lot contains no more than one detached dwelling;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision proposals and waterfront rights-of-way within Hebron town

  • Waterfront access rights are subject to Planning Board subdivision approval authority.

  “Right to gain access to a water body through or by means of any land in the Town of Hebron shall not be created or attached to any real estate, except in accordance with the standards set forth below, and subject to the Planning Board's subdivision approval authority.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Multiple-family dwelling driveways and parking in Hebron's Lake and Rural Districts

  • Must receive prior approval of the Selectmen or their agent.
  • Approval concerns emergency-vehicle space and access and safe entrance onto a public way.

  “all driveways and parking spaces are constructed in accordance with the prior approval of the Selectmen or their agent so that there is adequate space and access for emergency vehicles and safe entrance onto any public way.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development in Hebron special flood hazard areas

  • Permit form is determined by the Selectmen and available from the Selectmen's Office.
  • Building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements are reviewed for flood safety.

  “All proposed development in any special flood hazard areas shall require a permit. The form of said permit shall be determined by the Selectmen and shall be available from the Selectmen's Office.”

• Short-term rentalsAllowed

  Rental of residential rooms or residences, whole or in part, within Hebron town

  • The ordinance text does not distinguish a minimum rental duration.

  “The renting of rooms and furnishing of meals in residences, or the renting of residences in whole or part shall be permitted within the entire Town of Hebron.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Hebron building-permit applications

  • Fee is based on a Selectmen-established schedule; dollar amounts were not stated in the opened ordinance.

  “A Building Permit application shall be accompanied by a fee based on a fee schedule established by the Selectmen.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Hebron building-permit applications

  • A complete application must include the stated drawings and description.
  • A survey may be required if the Selectmen question drawing accuracy or property-line location.

  Select Board action period after complete application acceptance: <= 21 days

  “The Board of Selectmen will act on the application for a Building Permit within twenty-one (21) days of acceptance of a complete application.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hebron

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

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Accessory dwelling units within Hebron town

  • Both the ADU and primary residence must comply with state Building Code and Fire Code regulations.
  • This evidence does not establish general-code adoption for all other construction.

  “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;”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction within Hebron town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings within Hebron town
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings within Hebron town
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy within Hebron town
• Septic permit — New and replacement onsite septic systems within Hebron 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Hebron 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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