# What are the legal pitfalls of building a homestead?



## Tony Pro (May 8, 2016)

I couldn't find an answer to this in other threads.
I can probably buy some land outright at the end of this year. I just want to build a little shack on it, maybe dig a driveway by hand.
The problem is I live in a really snooty area of Maine, and I wouldn't be surprised if the town does everything in its power to prevent people from living alternative lifestyles.
>Oh, those twelve acres abutting the national park? Sure you can bulldoze and cover it with condos. 
>You're building a zero-impact homestead but you can't afford a septic tank? Get the fuck out of my quiet beach community. 

I want a little A-frame, a greenhouse, and a composting toilet. That's all I need to be happy. Sounds so simple but these are complex times. I've been reading my town's building codes but I can't find answers to my particular questions.
I know laws are different in every township but if anyone who's been through this can give me a broad idea of what to look out for, I'd really appreciate it. I'm wondering things like,
-Can I live on my land if there's no running water or septic tank?
-Am I allowed to live in a basic hut if it doesn't adhere to fire codes?
-Can I get around these things by saying it's a toolshed, not a house? my mother told me she lived in a 'toolshed' for four years to evade housing taxes.

Thanks, guys.


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## Kim Chee (May 8, 2016)

You can probably get away with living in a tool shed or an accessory building but I think in a lot of places these stuctures are allowed only when there is already a permitted structure on the property.

There are probably very few places where you can get away with not having septic and pipe water servicing your house.

You might try looking up "zoning" for the property and "land use restrictions".


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## callmeG (May 8, 2016)

These sorts of things vary somewhat by location, but unless you live someplace super rural where nobody cares, it's probably going to be tough. There are only a few places that haven't adopted building codes and they're rapidly disappearing. Example "As of July 1, 2012, the MUBEC (Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code) must be enforced in a municipality with a population of 4,000 residents or more that had NOT adopted any building code on or before August 1, 2008".


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## callmeG (May 8, 2016)

One loophole that might exist is what they call a "temporary structure", which might apply to things like tents, yurts, etc. Usually this requires that it can only be set up for so many days, but if it's out of sight I'm not sure how well it's enforced. If you have nosy neighbors that have nothing better to do than complain to the city about everything you do you're going to be out of luck.


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## Kim Chee (May 8, 2016)

If you have cash (purchasing power), maybe try buying a permitted structure which needs repair.


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## TMG51 (May 8, 2016)

You need to figure out your local zoning laws. I don't specifically know the answer to your question in your area, but I am aware that there are laws which affect this sort of thing in certain places. Some zoning laws require structures to have a foundation... some zoning laws restrict people from inhabiting a vehicle on a property... some zoning laws prohibit "camping" (whatever the hell they define that to be)... basically, these are all laws set up to discourage vagrancy and whatever behaviors the upstanding folk associate with vagrancy so you will have to figure out the language of the law as it applies to your area.


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## petergreen (May 9, 2016)

I know a guy that bought 3 or 4 acres in rural Oregon, cleared it and began setting up huts and stuff. He would live in one hut, usually wattle and daub with a roof made out of leaves or some such while working on another hut. As the other hut drew close to being ready he would demolish the existing hut and recycle most of the materials. As far as I know he is still doing this.


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## huckfinnegain (May 9, 2016)

It would almost seem less stressful to simply take it upon yerself and go ahead with the construction of a small/low impact structure in a secluded location out in the woods rather than jump through ye ol Mighty Hoops of Legality, no? granted the widespread memetic synergy of privatized ownership does provide a stronger sense of security about our well being for 'tomorrow and beyond'..yet I can't help but think about how all the money you'd be spending on securing the land could be used towards resources for the actual project itself. I also know nothing about the severity of any ramifications that may arise from such an endeavour in Maine, but maybe it's possible to consult with the First nations in the area about their blessing in utilizing some of their land in exchange for solidarity with them, however that may materialize.
I ramble, but out of curiosity mostly


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## Adnil (May 9, 2016)

Go to the county website with the full address and make sure that the property to purchase says "residential/agricultural" or simply "agricultural" in the zoning department.
That's as far as I'm currently aware.


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## Haystack (May 9, 2016)

Kim Chee said:


> There are probably very few places where you can get away with not having septic and pipe water servicing your house.



Move near a Amish community in Maine (if you need to know where some are I can give you some info). It would be easy to get away with this as there are still some really strict Amish that don't have anything servicing their houses. Would be easy to get away with just a shack with nothing else, and you will probably be able to find some cheap land near them since Maine isn't really a popular Amish area where people want to live out in the "country" with them.


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## Kim Chee (May 9, 2016)

Haystack said:


> Move near a Amish community in Maine (if you need to know where some are I can give you some info). It would be easy to get away with this as there are still some really strict Amish that don't have anything servicing their houses. Would be easy to get away with just a shack with nothing else, and you will probably be able to find some cheap land near them since Maine isn't really a popular Amish area where people want to live out in the "country" with them.



Seems the Amish have been pretty successful at "keeping their ways" without having to conform as the laws have accommodated them in places.

From what I understand, they are great at making safe dwellings and taking care of their waste (along with a lot of other things). 

^These last two items comprise what I feel is much of the "why" of the existence of building codes...the other item is "keeping property values afloat."


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## Haystack (May 10, 2016)

Kim Chee said:


> Seems the Amish have been pretty successful at "keeping their ways" without having to conform as the laws have accommodated them in places.
> 
> From what I understand, they are great at making safe dwellings and taking care of their waste (along with a lot of other things).
> 
> ^These last two items comprise what I feel is much of the "why" of the existence of building codes...the other item is "keeping property values afloat."



They are excellent craftsman and do mighty fine work. I started to learn more about them since their lifestyle can almost be compared to a squatter in the sense of how they live (not exactly for free, but you know what I mean), but much more conservative and off the land I guess? In my head it makes sense to me, but perhaps to others it might not. But anyways sorry for going off topic.


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## deleted user (May 10, 2016)

petergreen said:


> I know a guy that bought 3 or 4 acres in rural Oregon, cleared it and began setting up huts and stuff. He would live in one hut, usually wattle and daub with a roof made out of leaves or some such while working on another hut. As the other hut drew close to being ready he would demolish the existing hut and recycle most of the materials. As far as I know he is still doing this.



is there a way to contact him?


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## vantramp2016 (May 30, 2016)

id'e start by looking at unincorporated towns. and googling out there zoning laws


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## Stiv Rhodes (Nov 7, 2016)

I've been thinking about something like this recently. I found out that in my area, yours may be different, any lot zoned residential can be used to build a private park. That gets you around the zoning requirement for accessory structures needing to be on a lot with a primary structure. You still can't "live" there, but if there's plumbing and a restroom, people can "camp" there for 29 day stretches.


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## Deleted member 2626 (Nov 29, 2016)

dude just seen this. Just got a letter to my little piece of earth friendly land saying no septic so risk 500 dollar at minimum fine or eventually arrest I assume. in today's america fuck owning land unless every stipulation is read and freedom is possible.


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## deleted user (Nov 30, 2016)

@adinl has a good point, maybe look for commercial property. You can do alot more with it.


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## Kim Chee (Nov 30, 2016)

I hope everybody who hates the idea of septic understands the need for it even though it is expensive:

Sure a few campers passing through and burying their shit doesn't create a problem, no argument there. 

Imagine a homesteader who lives there 24/7, still not bad if they are mindful.

Throw in 4 family members and several neighbors (one neighbor lets their shit sit in an open air pile to ferment in the sun).

Now you've got a problem: The place smells like shit, flies have shit on their legs and make everything they land on unclean, the runoff has made the local watering hole unswimmable and people are getting sick from drinking contaminated well water because untreated human waste has also entered the water table.

Even having clean community toilets wouldn't work because there would be people who are too lazy to make the short journey and shit in the backyard anyway.

I also have concerns that some people even lack the self discipline necessary to properly deal with waste from a composting toilet without training and plenty of invasive enforcement..."Honey, the shitter police are here and they want to inspect the compost pile."


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## fruit is bad for you (Nov 30, 2016)

I've been looking at buying a small woodland in the UK and building something similar, off grid.

Legally I doubt you'll be able to build or do anything, I guess it depends on how happy you are with that.

In theory, it's your own private land, it depends whether anyone will know or find out.

The thing I'm looking at is a small permitted development of a tool shed which is allowed if it is for forrestry purposes. so might look at Excavating out something underground and whacking a toolshed w/office on top then bedroom underneath.

It might be worth looking at what you can legally biuld with little to no permission and take it from there.


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## Tony Pro (Nov 30, 2016)

Kim Chee said:


> I hope everybody who hates the idea of septic understands the need for it even though it is expensive:


A lot of good points here. If safely maintaining a compost toilet is necessary to being a more benign parasite on the earth, I think, or I hope, my wife and I are equal to the task. It'll just be the two of us, anyway -- plus we usually just poop at work.



fruit is bad for you said:


> The thing I'm looking at is a small permitted development of a tool shed which is allowed if it is for forrestry purposes. so might look at Excavating out something underground and whacking a toolshed w/office on top then bedroom underneath.



Mate, that would be epic, local geology permitting. Hilarious way to stick it to the town council. I dug a wine cellar once; it was probably the most fun I've ever had. 
Generally speaking they do have a tighter noose around landowners' necks on your side of the pond, which I guess makes sense with the human geography over there. I read an interview with Bear Grylls where he said after the town council kept threatening to tear down his child's treehouse, he just re-built it at an undisclosed location in the woods.


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