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

Town of Warner’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, exterior alteration, moving or repair of buildings or structures inside Warner town limits.

  • A certificate of zoning compliance must be issued before the building permit application.
  • Water tanks supported directly above grade are not exempt; sidewalks and driveways are exempt as stated.
  • Construction must commence within six months and the exterior be completed within two years after permit issuance; the Board of Selectmen may extend.
  • Building department lists new or replacement sheds, pools, decks, garages and carports among permitted work.

  “a certificate of zoning compliance must be issued prior to the application for a permit for the erection, exterior alteration, moving or repair of any building or structure.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Warner town limits, under the state building code adopted by the town.

  • Adopted under RSA 155-A as it may be amended.

  “the town of warner adopts and enforces the state building code rsa 155-a as it may be amended in accordance with rsa 674:51”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Warner town limits.

  • The building department lists staged inspections (foundation, rough framing/plumbing/electrical, insulation, final) performed by the building inspector.
  • Owner must arrange inspections at least two days in advance.

  “it is your responsibility to arrange for any inspections. to arrange for an inspection, at least two days in advance call the building inspector.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings inside Warner town limits before occupancy.

  • Occupancy permits issue after full compliance with the inspection schedule; hardwired smoke detectors and two means of egress are required before moving in.

  “certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the building inspector prior to occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Warner town limits: the Town of Warner adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Town of Warner Zoning Ordinances).

  • Ordinance is adopted by town meeting under the RSA 674 and 675 zoning authority cited in its preamble.
  • Amendments are adopted at town meeting; the PDF shows amendments through March 13, 2024.

  “pursuant to the authority conferred by applicable sections of chapters 673 through 677, new hampshire revised statutes, 1983, as amended, [...] the following ordinance is hereby adopted by the town of warner, new hampshire, in town meeting convened.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Warner town limits.

  • Districts: R-1 Village Residential (Art. V), R-2 Medium Density Residential (Art. VI), R-3 Low Density Residential (Art. VII), OC-1 Open Conservation (Art. VIII), OR-1 Open Recreation (Art. IX), B-1 Business (Art. X), C-1 Commercial (Art. XI), Warner Intervale Overlay (Art. XI-A), Groundwater Protection District GPD (Art. XI-B).
  • Boundaries are shown on the official zoning map filed with the Town Clerk.

  “the town of warner is to be divided into the following districts as shown on the official zoning map filed with the town clerk and dated january 15, 1969, and as subsequently amended”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family lots in the R-1 Village Residential district inside Warner town limits.

  • Applies to land where central water and sewer facilities are available or feasible (R-1 purpose statement).
  • Frontage and buildable area are both larger where the dwelling is not served by a municipal sewer system.

  minimum lot frontage: >= 100 feet (150 feet if the dwelling is not served by a municipal sewer system) · minimum buildable area: >= 20000 square feet (40,000 square feet if the dwelling is not served by a municipal sewer system)

  “every lot shall have a minimum frontage of one hundred (100) feet, and a minimum buildable area of not less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet except if such dwelling is not served by a municipal sewer system, in which case the frontage shall be not less than one hundred fifty (150) feet and the minimum buildable area shall not be less than forty thousand (40,000) square feet.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lots created by minor subdivision in the R-2 Medium Density Residential district inside Warner town limits.

    “every lot shall have a minimum frontage of two hundred (200) feet and a minimum buildable area of at least two (2) acres, unless the lot is served by a municipal sewer system in which case the frontage shall not be less than one hundred twenty (120) feet and the minimum buildable area shall not be less than forty thousand (40,000) square feet.”

  • Specified — Lots created by minor subdivision in the R-3 Low Density Residential district (remote from municipal water and sewer) inside Warner town limits.

    “every lot shall have a minimum lot frontage of two hundred fifty (250) feet, and a minimum buildable area of at least three (3) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 Village Residential district inside Warner town limits.

  • Other setbacks in the general provisions (for example the 75-foot setback from the Warner River, ponds greater than 10 acres and perennial streams) were not fully reviewed.

  side/rear yard to abutter property line: >= 15 feet · front setback from public right-of-way: >= 30 feet

  “no building shall be located nearer than fifteen (15) feet to an abutter's property line and thirty (30) feet from the edge of a public right of way.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings on lots created by minor subdivision in the R-2 Medium Density Residential district inside Warner town limits.

    “no building shall be located nearer than twenty five (25) feet to an abutter's property line and forty (40) feet from the edge of any public right of way”

  • Specified — Buildings on lots created by minor subdivision in the R-3 Low Density Residential district inside Warner town limits.

    “no building shall be located nearer than forty (40) feet from an abutter's property line and fifty (50) feet from the edge of any public right of way.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing placement inside Warner town limits, only in areas the zoning ordinance allows.

  • Placement is limited to specific areas of the community under the manufactured housing article; the district list in that article was not fully reviewed.

  “the purpose of this section is to allow for the placement of manufactured housing within specific areas of the community and to provide for standards therefore.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways connecting to a town or state road inside Warner town limits.

  • Sidewalks and driveways are otherwise exempt from building permits in the state code; the town requires a driveway permit from the town or state.
  • Building department lists a Class VI road policy: no structure may be constructed or placed on any Class VI road.

  “sidewalks and driveways are exempt as stated; however, a driveway permit is required from the town or state.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Warner town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Warner town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Warner town limits.
• Building height — Building height limits inside Warner town limits.
• Living in an RV — Recreational vehicle occupancy on private land inside Warner 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 Warner 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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