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

Town of Barrington’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of buildings and activities outlined under Barrington's adopted building codes.

  • Property owners or their agents must secure appropriate permits before work starts.
  • Building permits are required for activities outlined in the adopted residential and non-residential building code.

  “Building permits are required for activities as outlined in the adopted residential and non-residential building code.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction enforced by the Town of Barrington.

  • The listed codes are subject to amendments by the State Building Code Review Board.
  • parameters are stated as minimum construction requirements.

  “The Town of Barrington as authorized under RSA 674:51-a and 674:51 shall enforce, adopt and amend the following codes to be used as the minimum requirements for construction enforced by the Town of Barrington to provide for the general welfare and safety.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under a Barrington building permit.

  • Not all listed inspections apply to every situation.
  • Additional inspections may be required in special situations.
  • Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspections are addressed by applicable permit applications.

  “It is the responsibility of the contractor / property owner to obtain all required inspections.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Proposed structures or improvements submitted on the Town's major building-permit application.

  • All necessary inspections must have been requested and completed before occupation or use.

  “In addition to a building permit, a certificate of occupancy shall be required prior to the use of any new or modified area or structure for which a building permit is required.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Barrington town, New Hampshire.

  • The ordinance states its effective date is March 8, 2005, the date of adoption by Town vote.

  “For the purposes of this Ordinance the Town of Barrington is divided into five (5) base zoning districts.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  All land within Barrington town's municipal boundaries.

  • Each area within municipal boundaries is located in one of five base districts.
  • Overlay districts operate with base-district regulations where they coincide.

  base zoning districts: 5 districts

  “For the purposes of this Ordinance the Town of Barrington is divided into five (5) base zoning districts. Each zoning district is identified on the Official Zoning Map. All of the area within the municipal boundaries is located in one of these five base districts.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  A recreational vehicle used as a primary use in the absence of a primary use in Barrington town.

  • Use is limited to 180 days per year.
  • Sewage disposal and other applicable code requirements apply.

  maximum primary-use duration: <= 180 days per year (Only in the absence of a primary use.)

  “In the absence of a primary use, a Recreational Vehicle may be utilized as a primary use for up to 180 days per year. Sewage disposal and other applicable codes requirements shall apply.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured housing on lawfully existing lots in Barrington town.

  • Units on individual lots are allowed anywhere conventional single-family homes are permitted.
  • Individual-lot units must meet conventional-housing dimensional standards and be erected on a permanent foundation.

  “Manufactured housing units may be located on lawfully existing lots in manufactured housing parks, or, on individual lots anywhere conventional single-family homes are permitted.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units accompanying a single-family dwelling in Barrington town where permitted.

  • One ADU per property and no more than two bedrooms.
  • An ADU is prohibited where more than one dwelling currently exists.
  • An ADU Certificate of Use from the Zoning Administrator is required.
  • The property owner must occupy one of the two units.

  maximum ADUs per property: 1 (ADU shall not be permitted where more than one dwelling currently exists.) · maximum ADU bedrooms: <= 2 bedrooms

  “A maximum of one (1) ADU per property is permitted and shall not exceed two bedrooms. An ADU shall not be permitted on property where more than one dwelling currently exists.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Conservation subdivisions inside Barrington town.

  • Conservation subdivisions must also comply with Barrington Subdivision and Site Review Regulations and other applicable town and state regulations and policies.
  • Their permitted density may not exceed conventional-subdivision density in the applicable zoning district.

  “comply with applicable standards contained in the Barrington Subdivision and Site Review Regulations, as well as all other applicable town and state regulations and policies.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Residential one- and two-family and commercial or multi-unit residential major building-permit applications in Barrington town.

  • The permit application's required-submittals table lists a driveway permit for both residential and commercial or multi-unit residential work.

  “Driveway Permit [Contact: Highway Dept. (603) 664-5379] □”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed development in a special flood hazard area within Barrington town's Floodplain Management District Overlay.

  • The overlay applies to the Town's listed FEMA flood-map panels and amendments.
  • New construction or substantial improvements must meet the listed flood-damage and safety provisions.
  • The Building Inspector reviews building-permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements.

  “All proposed development in any special flood hazard area shall require a permit. The Building Inspector shall review all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Barrington building permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy.

  • The Building Inspector reviews the fee schedule and submits a report to the Board of Selectmen at its request.
  • The Board of Selectmen establishes the fees.

  withdrawn building permit retained fee: 20 percent (Retained to cover administrative and technical review.)

  “The Board of Selectmen shall establish fees to be charged for building permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy as outlined in RSA 674:51.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Major building permit applications in Barrington town.

  • The applicant may be the owner, lessee, agent, or licensed engineer or architect employed for the work.
  • A non-owner applicant must provide an owner authorization affidavit or signed witnessed statement.
  • The code official may waive plan filing for work of a minor nature.

  plan copies: 2 copies (Application requires two copies of specifications and plans; code official may waive filing plans for minor work.)

  “The application for the permit shall be accompanied by two copies of specifications and of plans drawn to scale, with sufficient clarity and detail dimensions to show the nature and character of the work to be performed.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Barrington

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  General Residential District inside Barrington town.

  • Additional and supplemental dimensional standards in Article 4 apply.
  • Increases in minimum yard setbacks may be required during site-plan review or the building-permit process for Life Safety Code compliance.

  front setback: >= 40 ft · side setback: >= 30 ft · rear setback: >= 30 ft

  “General Residential 80,000(c) 200 40 30 30 35 2.5 40%”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  General Residential District inside Barrington town.

  • Maximum lot coverage means lot area covered by an impervious surface.
  • Additional and supplemental dimensional standards in Article 4 apply.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent

  “General Residential 80,000(c) 200 40 30 30 35 2.5 40%”

• Building heightSpecified

  General Residential District inside Barrington town.

  • No structure may contain occupied residential building space above 35 feet unless it contains a sprinkler system.
  • Additional and supplemental dimensional standards in Article 4 apply.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (Occupied residential building space above 35 feet requires a sprinkler system.) · maximum building stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “General Residential 80,000(c) 200 40 30 30 35 2.5 40%”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Barrington town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Barrington town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Barrington town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Barrington town.
• Who permits septic — On-site wastewater systems inside Barrington 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.