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

Town of Northwood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and the listed structural, interior, and exterior work inside Northwood town limits.

  • No work may begin until the permit is approved and paid for.
  • The page lists all new construction, structurally related replacements, garages, sheds, swimming pools, signs, specified interior renovations, additions, decks, and fencing among work requiring a permit.

  “no work should begin until permit is approved and paid for.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Northwood town limits.

  • A building permit and occupancy permit must be obtained through the Northwood Building Department before occupancy.
  • The ADU rules also limit an ADU to one per property, 1,000 square feet, and two bedrooms.

  maximum accessory dwelling unit area: <= 1000 square feet · maximum accessory dwelling unit bedrooms: <= 2

  “building permit and occupancy permit must be obtained through the northwood building department before occupancy;”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Northwood town limits.

  • Town zoning is administered and enforced by the Building, Health, and Code Enforcement Department.

  “the building, health, and code enforcement department administers and enforces the town building code, zoning ordinance and applicable site plan and subdivision regulations and requirements.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles used at private campsites inside Northwood town limits.

  • One private campsite per lot may consist of one recreational vehicle or temporary structure, or tents or similar equipment in a reasonable number for private use.
  • A camping permit issued by the Building Inspector is required.
  • Seasonal camping is April 15 through October 15; off-season permits are weekly only.
  • Year-round campsite occupancy as a residence or dwelling is prohibited.

  private campsites per lot: 1 · seasonal camping period: April 15 to October 15 (One calendar year)

  “the occupancy of a private campsite for year-round habitation as a residence or dwelling shall be prohibited within the town of northwood.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Private camping on otherwise vacant parcels inside Northwood town limits.

  • A camping permit is required for each permitted period.
  • Seasonal permits run April 15 through October 15; weekly permits are valid for up to seven days.
  • The applicant must comply with federal, state, and local regulations and demonstrate adequate sewerage for renewals.

  weekly permit duration: <= 7 days

  “weekly permit: valid for up to 7 days with the date of expiration noted on the permit.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in Cluster Housing development projects inside Northwood town limits.

  • This claim is limited to Cluster Housing development projects and does not determine manufactured-home treatment elsewhere in Town.

  “manufactured housing shall not be permitted in cluster housing development projects.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units inside Northwood town limits.

  • One ADU per property; no ADU where more than one single-family dwelling currently exists.
  • Building and occupancy permits are required before occupancy.
  • Maximum area is 1,000 square feet; maximum two bedrooms; owner must occupy one dwelling unit; septic and parking conditions apply.

  maximum ADUs per property: 1 · maximum ADU area: <= 1000 square feet

  “accessory dwelling unit. an accessory dwelling unit (adu), as defined in this ordinance, is allowed by right if the following conditions are met:”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Septic-system designs and shoreline septic systems inside Northwood town limits.

  • The Town department approves septic system designs.
  • State NHDES administers technical and permitting standards under RSA 485-A and Env-Wq 1000.
  • The local shoreline ordinance applies only where any part of a septic system is within the specified 250-foot protected-shoreland buffer.

  shoreland septic-system buffer: 250 feet (Measured from the reference line of waterbodies subject to the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act)

  “the department is responsible for the approval of all septic system designs, and enforcement of all applicable nh laws and administrative rules, as well as local health ordinances and regulations.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Existing septic systems within the 250-foot protected-shoreland buffer inside Northwood town limits.

  • All applicable systems must be pumped every three to five years and documentation supplied upon request.
  • For a system with NHDES approval on record before May 13, 1995, the owner must obtain an evaluation within two years after the ordinance takes effect, including confirmation that the bed bottom is at least two feet above estimated seasonal high-water table.
  • Later five-year evaluations are strongly encouraged rather than stated as mandatory.

  pumping interval: 3-5 years · evaluation timing: <= 2 years (Systems with NHDES approval on record before May 13, 1995)

  “all septic systems applicable to this ordinance shall be pumped every 3-5 years. property owners are required to provide documentation of pumping to the town, upon request.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private campsites on otherwise vacant parcels inside Northwood town limits.

  • Weekly permits require adequate storage or lawful removal of sewerage.
  • Seasonal permits require an NHDES-approved sewage disposal system installed on site.
  • No onsite sewerage discharge is permitted except into an NHDES-approved sewage disposal system.

  “no onsite discharge of sewerage will be permitted except into a sewage disposal system approved by the nh department of environmental services.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision activity inside Northwood town limits.

  • The Building, Health, and Code Enforcement Department administers applicable subdivision regulations and requirements and ensures compliance with approved plans.

  “subdivision and site plan enforcement ensure compliance will all facets of approved plans”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

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

  • The Building Inspector reviews building-permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether sites are reasonably safe from flooding.
  • Additional construction requirements apply in special flood hazard areas.

  “all proposed development in any special flood hazard areas shall require a permit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Northwood town limits.

  • The Building Inspector notifies the applicant of the fee after application review; work may not begin until the permit is approved and paid.

  “they will be reviewed by the building inspector and he will notify the applicant if approved and what the fee will be.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Northwood town limits.

  • Applications are dropped off at the Building Department and reviewed by the Building Inspector.
  • The page states a 30-day approval-or-denial period, subject to listed processing factors, and 60 days for nonresidential applications or residential applications with more than 10 dwelling units.

  standard approval-or-denial period: <= 30 days (Subject to processing factors listed by the Town) · nonresidential or over-10-unit approval-or-denial period: <= 60 days (Nonresidential applications or residential applications with more than 10 dwelling units)

  “in new hampshire, a building inspector has 30 days to approve or deny a building permit application.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Northwood

Town of Northwood 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 adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Northwood town limits.

  • The Town enforces the New Hampshire Building Code and New Hampshire State Fire Code pursuant to RSA 155-A.

  “pursuant to rsa 155-a, the town of northwood building department enforces the new hampshire building code, and the new hampshire state fire code.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the Wellhead Protection Overlay District inside Northwood town limits.

  • The cap applies to impervious area.

  maximum impervious lot coverage: <= 20 percent (Wellhead Protection Overlay District)

  “construction within the wellhead protection overlay district shall meet the following criteria: (rev. 3/01) (rev. 3/03) (a) low permeability surfaces not more than 20% of the lot shall be covered by impervious area.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems inside Northwood town limits, under statewide NHDES wastewater-management permitting requirements.

  • The Town's shoreline ordinance does not replace state permitting requirements.
  • The Town also approves septic-system designs.

  “these provisions do not absolve property owners from the state of new hampshire’s regulation of wastewater management permitting requirements under nh rsa 485-a and administrative rules env-wq 1000 that establish the technical and permitting standards for septic systems enforced by the nhdes.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Northwood town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Northwood's General District.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Northwood town limits.
• Well permit — Wells inside Northwood town limits.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Northwood 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 Northwood 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.