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

Town of Hollis’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hollis town, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.

  • The official zoning map is adopted as part of the Town's ordinance.

  “The zoning map officially entitled; “Hollis Zoning Map” is hereby adopted as part of this ordinance. It shows a division of the Town into the following zones:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Hollis town.

  • The ordinance also establishes overlay zoning districts.

  “The zoning map officially entitled; “Hollis Zoning Map” is hereby adopted as part of this ordinance. It shows a division of the Town into the following zones:”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Permitted uses and special exceptions in the Rural Lands Zone (RL) inside Hollis town.

  • An existing home or structure as of March 14, 2023 may expand if at least a 50-foot front-yard depth is adhered to.

  front yard depth: 100 feet (Rural Lands Zone; stated existing-structure exception applies) · side yard depth for principal structures: 35 feet (Rural Lands Zone) · side yard depth for accessory structures: 15 feet (Rural Lands Zone) · rear yard depth for principal structures: 35 feet (Rural Lands Zone) · rear yard depth for accessory structures: 15 feet (Rural Lands Zone)

  “MINIMUM FRONT YARD DEPTH: 100 feet. (A home or structure inexistence as of March 14, 2023, shall be able to expand provided that, at a minimum, a 50-foot Front Yard Depth is adhered to.)”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots inside Hollis town subject to the listed zoning districts and overlay zones.

  • Except in the Industrial Zone, impermeable surface coverage in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone and Wetland Conservation Overlay Zone may not exceed 15%.
  • All other districts have a maximum impermeable-surface coverage of 25%.

  maximum building coverage: <= 50 percent (Industrial and Commercial districts) · maximum building coverage: <= 35 percent (Agriculture & Business district) · maximum impermeable surface coverage: <= 25 percent (All other districts)

  “Buildings may cover no more than the following percentages of a lot in the indicated district: a. Industrial (I) and Commercial (C): 50% b. Agriculture & Business (A&B): 35%”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Mobile homes in the Mobile Home-2 (MH-2) Zone inside Hollis town.

  • The rule is specific to the MH-2 Zone.

  “Mobile homes shall be permitted in the Mobile Home-1 (MH-1) Zone and in the Mobile Home-2 (MH-2) Zone as allowed in Chapter X.D & E”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units in zoning districts where Section X permits them inside Hollis town.

  • They must be consistent with RSA 674:72.1 and the applicable Section X zoning-district provisions.

  “Accessory dwelling units according to Chapter IX.K.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation serving property inside Hollis town.

  • Wastewaters or sewage may not run freely into wetlands or surface waters or be discharged offensively or detrimentally to health.
  • Sanitary systems must be constructed and maintained to standards set and enforced by the Department of Environmental Services.

  “No waste waters or sewage shall be permitted to run free into wetlands or surface waters or be discharged in any way that may be offensive or detrimental to the health of others. All such waste shall be conveyed away underground through use of an accepted sanitary system or in such a way that it will not be offensive or detrimental to health.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Hollis town.

  • Before subdivision, transfer or sale of part of a subdivision, street construction, municipal-service installation, or an application for a structure permit, the owner or authorized agent must apply in writing to the Planning Board using its form.

  “COMPLETE APPLICATION shall mean an application submitted to the Board for the purpose of land subdivision, and containing all submissions and fees as required in Section III., Subdivision Procedure; and as noted in the Subdivision Checklist located in the Appendix.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, repaving, or relocation of a driveway accessing a public way inside Hollis town.

  • A temporary-access entrance requires a Department of Public Works permit and a $1,500 restoration bond.
  • Driveway access to Class I, II, or III highways additionally requires state approval.
  • New driveways serving structures intended for human occupancy are limited to an 8% grade; stated exceptions apply to non-occupancy structures and specified private ways.

  new driveway fee: 75 USD · existing driveway fee: 25 USD

  “Anyone desiring to construct, alter, repair, repave or relocate a driveway in order to obtain access to an existing public way or a proposed street or public way, shall first apply for and obtain a permit from the Public Works Director or his designee.”

• Permit processPartial

  Subdivision applications inside Hollis town.

  • The application is to be made on the Planning Board's form.
  • This claim addresses the published subdivision process, not all construction permits.

  “COMPLETE APPLICATION shall mean an application submitted to the Board for the purpose of land subdivision, and containing all submissions and fees as required in Section III., Subdivision Procedure; and as noted in the Subdivision Checklist located in the Appendix.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hollis

Town of Hollis 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)

  On-site sewage or waste-disposal systems serving property inside Hollis town.

  • Local government requirements relating to water supply and sewage disposal must be met before the state application where municipal regulations require prior local approval.

  “Any person submitting an application and plans for construction approval shall also certify in writing that he has complied with all local government requirements as relate to water supply and sewage disposal which must be complied with prior to application to the department of environmental services in those municipalities where regulations require prior local approval;”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Hollis town.
• Building code adopted — Buildings inside Hollis town.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Hollis town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Hollis town.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Hollis 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.