Dover-Foxcroft: How to live on property while building

[JWK]

Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah

This is precisely what you need to do, first. The second thing, is to have a soil test done, before you close.

Once you purchase the land, it will be too late to get out of the deal. You need to know for certain, that you will be able to do what you wish to do on that land. Only the town officials will know for sure. They are the only ones who can tell you if there IS any "legal" way to live on that land before the house is built. You cannot hide from those folks anyway, so why not talk with them, right up front?

One Mr Gilbert is the code enforcement officer for that town. You should speak to him. They can give you his number at town hall. He can recommend a soil scientist to do the test. Under no circumstances should you buy that property before having a soil test done. If it doesn't pass, you are SOL.

There are folks here who live way out in the boonies, who live in Unincorporated townships, or in so-called 'pockets of freedom'. They bought many, many years ago. Times have changed. This isn't NY, but what some people used to do years ago, is no longer allowed. Be sure before you're sorry.

Good advice to anyone, and that is exactly what I decided to do for all the reasons you listed. However, Connie Sands is the code enforcement officer now and I spoke with her two days ago. If I put in an offer for this particular piece of property, it will be contingent on the soil test and approval of septic plan. The only thing I will not be totally sure about is a well, but no one around here has any problem drilling a well. The only thing that disappoints me is not being able to live on the land while the house is being built and living in the house before it is totally finished. The only way I can avoid that is to find property that will be a good 40 to 50 minute drive from Dover-Foxcroft, and I don't want my wife commuting like that anymore. We did that for many years back in NY so we could live a decent life out in the country, but it gets very stressful in the winter time. Such are trade-offs in life. You gather the info and make your choices.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

By what authority has someone told you that you can not camp on your own property?

Name
Position
Law or rule cited.

Maybe it is a subdivision bylaw in which case all bets are off. The board may be able to change the bylaws on a regular basis by majority rule. The majority of three is two and they could be a husband and wife.

Proceed with caution.