Can anyone summarize government restrictions on building in Grafton?

[George Donnelly]

Can you guys give me a feel of what the building situation is in Grafton, the hassles and the ways around them, if any exist.

Based on my admittedly informal research it seems that to build in Grafton, the local gangs want you to:

- get septic plan approval from state
- get driveway approval from the state
- file a notification form that they want to sign off on internally

Is this stuff enforced? The 2009 minutes for the planning board aren't online so hard for me to know from here. Based on a quick perusal of the 2008 minutes it seems a lot of folks comply. Is there anyone whose job is to find and punish violations?

It seems the county doesn't have any regulations on building - is that right?

Are only certain kinds or depths of foundations permitted?

It seems like they only demand "notification" for dwellings and request it for non-dwellings. Is this right?

If I don't discharge grey or black waters it seems they don't even require state septic approval?

If I don't even "build" a driveway (how do you build that anyway?) they don't demand I get permission for that either it seems.

Of course without a privy, black or grey water discharge or even a driveway I bet they're going to look at me real funny and not want to sign off on it, which brings me back to square one anyway. 

I know I don't need their permission to do what I like with my land but I want to get a feel for the situation there. I don't want hassles with these people and daily fines if I can reasonably avoid it.

Thanks in advance for your experiences. I don't expect legal advice - but will take it if offered!

Refs:

Building Notification
http://www.townofgrafton.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=148&Itemid=42

Thread on this topic here:
http://nhunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=2491.0

[Lloyd Danforth]

I think that if you have running water you are required to have a septic system and it has to be state approved, perhaps designed for the site. If you have over 5 acres something changes.
I don't know about the driveway but, I think the planning board is getting out of driveways.
The town doesn't ask permission.  They would like a rough idea about the size of the building and where on the lot it is. One guy sent in a six line drawing that could have been a telephone booth or an outhouse. Two of the lines were slashes to represent the driveway.
I'll bet that if you built a dwelling where it couldn't be seen from the road you could get away with running water dripping on a pile of shit next to the house if that is what you want. In town it will go:
"Heard that Smith guy built something on that lot he bot!"
"Yeah, just a cabin with an out house"  "He's basically just camping there"
That will probably hold you for years.
I don't know how you get in and out of a house that is far enough from the road without a driveway.

[jerry]

If you put in running water the state wants you to comply with the septic regulations.  I think you can still build an outhouse without permits.

If you want to hook up to the electric grid you will have to comply with the state electric code.

The state building code has specs for foundations, but unless you are building something larger than a two-family home you are exempt.

You only need a driveway permit from the state if your property is on a state road.   The town roadmaster will only object if your new driveway plugs up a drainage ditch.

The town planning boards wants construction notification so they know when and how much to raise your property taxes.

There is no "signing off" by the government like some places that keep you from moving in to your house until they give you an "occupancy permit".

[Lloyd Danforth]

I knew Jerry Knows this stuff. 

[George Donnelly]

Thanks guys! That's a big help.

I won't connect to any grids. I plan to use solar, wind, propane and generator to get what electricity we need.

As far as running water I might get a well (separate rules for that right?) but otherwise plan to collect rainwater or buy water in town and hand-pump, or maybe a solar electric pump.

I plan to do a compost toilet and recycle/purify/store-evaporate greywater in some way that's more complicated than just letting it drain out on to the ground.

Two beaten paths in the grass (with maybe some rocks thrown in the middle) could get my car into the property but would that be considered building a driveway?

Thanks again. If all goes well we should be living up there by April/May. Heading up this weekend to look at properties.

EDIT: was that 6 line sketch "notification" "approved", given a hard time or what?

[K. Darien Freeheart]

EDIT: was that 6 line sketch "notification" "approved", given a hard time or what?

The town busybodies wrinkled their noses.

It's Grafton, man...

[Lloyd Danforth]

There is a guy in town doing most of this. He is off the grid but, has a well pump and some kind of septic system.
I've always been intrigued by the idea of just beating down a pair of tracks and filling dips until I had a dependable road but, around here anything that isn't packed gravel is mud. You could be adding rocks for years. You could, however, write stuff from Chinese fortune cookies on the bottoms of the first rocks that you use.

[Free libertarian]

Thanks guys! That's a big help.

I won't connect to any grids. I plan to use solar, wind, propane and generator to get what electricity we need.

As far as running water I might get a well (separate rules for that right?) but otherwise plan to collect rainwater or buy water in town and hand-pump, or maybe a solar electric pump.

I plan to do a compost toilet and recycle/purify/store-evaporate greywater in some way that's more complicated than just letting it drain out on to the ground.

Two beaten paths in the grass (with maybe some rocks thrown in the middle) could get my car into the property but would that be considered building a driveway?

Thanks again. If all goes well we should be living up there by April/May. Heading up this weekend to look at properties.

EDIT: was that 6 line sketch "notification" "approved", given a hard time or what?

If you end up in the Grafton area,  we should talk about your plans for a road.  I'm no  "roadologist" but to use a tired cliche concerning um rustic roads...I've been there and done that.  I might be able to help prevent you from making some common mistakes or at least teach you some new swear words to use when you get stuck.  Also I might have a compost toilet for sale.   Good luck and hope you land in Grafton. 

[George Donnelly]

Thanks guys. And I'd love to talk with you free libertarian.