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

Town of Chester’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, additions, alterations, and renovations inside Chester town limits.

  • The Town says the list of projects needing permits is not exclusive.
  • parameters may include zoning, site-plan, or other approvals before permit issuance.

  “You need to obtain a building permit for all new construction and additions or when altering or renovating existing buildings.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures inside Chester town limits.

  • All construction in New Hampshire must comply with the state building and fire codes.

  “The building code as adopted by the Town of Chester are specifically incorporated herein by reference.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted projects inside Chester town limits.

  • Required inspections vary by project.
  • Permit holder must contact the Building Inspector at least one day before an inspection.
  • Work generally may not be buried, covered, or concealed before inspection.

  “It is the responsibility of the permit holder to contact the building inspector at least a day before to schedule an inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Chester town limits.

  • The ordinance is administered and enforced by the Town Building Inspector.

  “This ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the building inspector who shall be appointed by the board of selectmen.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Chester town limits.

  • District locations are shown on the official zoning maps filed with the Town Clerk.

  “the district's zones r1, t1, c1 and c2 provided for in section 3.1 above shall be bound as shown on a map entitled "town of chester zoning map 1997," filed with the town clerk”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Any dwelling unit inside Chester town limits.

  • Basements are excluded from the required floor area.

  minimum floor area: >= 600 square feet (Basements excluded)

  “The minimum floor area for any dwelling unit shall be at least 600 square feet, excluding basements within said dwelling unit.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured housing dwellings on individual lots in Chester Zone R1.

  • Must be on a permanent foundation.
  • Placement must comply with the ordinance and building codes in force at placement.

  “manufactured housing dwellings on individual lots provided they are placed on a permanent foundation and their placement in all respects complies with this ordinance and any building codes in force at the time of placement.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  One attached or internal accessory dwelling unit in a detached single-family dwelling in any Chester residential district.

  • Application must be made to the Building Inspector.
  • The Article 9.4 requirements must be satisfied.
  • Detached accessory dwelling units are not authorized under Article 9.

  “upon application to the building inspector, the addition of a single dwelling unit, within or attached to, a detached single-family dwelling, existing or proposed, at the time of application, shall be permitted by right, in any residential district, if the requirements of article 9.4 of the chester zoning ordinance are satisfied.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Chester town limits.

  • The fee schedule is available at Chester Town Hall or from the Building Department.

  “See Article 4 Permit Fee Schedule. A building permit fee schedule is available at the Chester Town Hall or contact the Building Department.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Chester town limits.

  • Complete permit packets include the official permit application, scaled plans, and a site plan.
  • The Building Inspector has 30 days after receiving a completed application to approve or deny; commercial or residential applications of more than 10 dwelling units have 60 days.

  decision period: <= 30 days (Commercial or residential applications of more than 10 dwelling units: 60 days)

  “NH RSA 676:13, III mandates a decision (approval or denial) by the Building Inspector, upon receipt of a completed application, within 30 days. Decision on an application for commercial or residential more than 10 dwelling units must be rendered within 60 days.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Chester

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Chester General Residential and Agricultural District (Zone R1).

  minimum lot size: >= 2 acres · minimum frontage: >= 290 feet

  “r1 - single family 2 acres 2 290’ 15% na 2.5 / 33’ 40’ 25’ 25’”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Chester General Residential and Agricultural District (Zone R1).

  minimum front setback: >= 40 feet · minimum side setback: >= 25 feet · minimum rear setback: >= 25 feet

  “r1 - single family 2 acres 2 290’ 15% na 2.5 / 33’ 40’ 25’ 25’”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Chester General Residential and Agricultural District (Zone R1).

  maximum impervious surface area: <= 15 percent of each lot area

  “r1 - single family 2 acres 2 290’ 15% na 2.5 / 33’ 40’ 25’ 25’”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Chester General Residential and Agricultural District (Zone R1).

  maximum building height: <= 2.5 / 33 stories / feet

  “r1 - single family 2 acres 2 290’ 15% na 2.5 / 33’ 40’ 25’ 25’”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Land designated as a special flood hazard area in Chester Flood Plain Conservation District (Zone FP).

  • The floodplain ordinance overlays and supplements the zoning ordinance.
  • Where provisions conflict, the more restrictive or stringent standard controls.
  • It applies to areas designated as special flood hazard areas in FEMA’s Flood Insurance Study for Rockingham County dated May 17, 2005 or subsequently revised.

  “The regulations in this ordinance shall overlay and supplement the regulations in the Town of Chester Zoning Ordinance and shall be considered part of the Zoning Ordinance for purposes of administration and appeals under state law.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Chester town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of residential construction inside Chester town limits.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Chester town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Chester town limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Chester 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 Chester 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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