Last Updated January 18, 2012

Community Development Department

Photo: Laura Scott, Community Development DirectorThe Community Development Department provides staff support to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Conservation Commission, and Windham Economic Development Committee. We also oversee the building permit and code enforcement process.

We encourage residents to contact us with any questions or concerns that they may have, or for more information on the Town's zoning and other requirements. Below, are numerous links to items related to our Department, which we hope will be of assistance to you.

 

Notices from the Department:

FREE NOTARY SERVICE TO WINDHAM RESIDENTS: Notary Public service is available free to Town of Windham residents, business owners, and Community Development applicants.  The Windham Economic Development Department is trying to make doing business in Windham as easy as possible.   Notaries witness the signing of documents, administer oaths, take acknowledgments and certify documents.  A notary must ensure that the person signing the document to be notarized is who s/he say s/he is. Please ask for Mimi Kolodziej from Tuesday to Friday, 8-1 p.m. 

DOCK PERMITS: The Town of Windham Community Development Department has recently fielded several questions about docks. Here then are some things you should know about dock permits and enforcement:

  • The Town of Windham does not regulate docks. However, seasonal and permanent docks do require permits from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

  • If you are concerned as to whether a dock has received a permit from DES, please visit DES’s on-line “OneStop” service at http://des.nh.gov/onestop/ to determine whether a dock permit has been issued. For optimal results, DES suggests searching by the map and lot number rather than by the address or owner.

  • Keep in mind when searching OneStop that the dock permit could have been issued as a Dock Permit or as a Wetlands Permit.

  • If you discover that no permit has been issued, or the dock that has been constructed deviates from what was permitted, you may have a civil cause of action against the dock owner.

We hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions, or for further information on DES dock permits and enforcement, we suggest that you contact the DES Wetlands Bureau at (603) 271-2147.

FAQs for Residential Construction in the Floodplain: If you have residential property that is located in a “Special Flood Hazard Area”, you should know that special requirements apply to any new construction or substantial improvements that you undertake.

What is a Special Flood Hazard Area? A Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) includes any area of Town that has a one percent chance or greater possibility of flooding in any given year. The one percent flood is also known as the 100 year flood.

How do I know if my property is located in an SFHA? The Town’s SFHAs are depicted on the Town’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps which available for review at the Community Development Department and on-line at www.granit.unh.edu/dfirms/.

What are the special requirements that apply? The most significant requirement for new construction and substantial improvements of homes located in an SFHA is that the lowest floor of the structure must be constructed at or above the height of where the 100 year flood is expected to rise.

What about basements and crawlspaces? If the home has a basement or crawlspace, the floor of the basement or crawlspace is considered the lowest floor of the structure and therefore must be constructed at or above the height of where the 100 year flood is expected to rise.

What is a substantial improvement? A “substantial improvement” is any improvement or repair to your home the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent of the home’s market value. This means that if you undertake a substantial improvement, you will need to raise the lowest floor of your home to or above the height of where the 100 year flood is expected to rise.

If you have questions about floodplain regulations, feel free to contact Tim Corwin, ZBA/Code Enforcement Administrator at (603) 432-3806.

RULES OF THUMB FOR TREE CUTTING:  On behalf of the Town of Windham Community Development Department, here are some rules of thumb to keep in mind regarding tree cutting:

  • A property owner has a general right to cut or remove trees on their property, as they wish. This is true whether the trees are located in or out of the road right-of-way, unless the Town or State holds title to the right-of-way. This is also true even if a road has been designated a ‘scenic road’.

  • Tree cutting in the Wetland and Watershed Protection District is permitted, however, any type of stump removal activity requires a Special Permit from the Town of Windham Planning Board.

  • Tree cutting and stump removal activities within the protected shoreland buffer are regulated by the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act. Under the CSPA, trees removed within the 50 foot waterfront buffer may be removed in accordance with a grid and point system, but stumps must remain intact within the ground. Trees removed within the 150 foot natural woodland buffer must comply with the unaltered state requirement. Stumps may be removed in this area, but any activity requiring mechanized equipment will require a shoreland impact permit.

  • Public utility companies and municipalities must follow certain procedures prior to cutting trees. For a utility, the law requires not only notice, but landowner permission. The Town may cut or remove any trees that interfere with public travel or are deemed a public nuisance. However, trees with a circumference of more than 15 inches at 4 feet off the ground generally cannot be cut until the owner is notified in writing.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Tim Corwin, ZBA/Code Enforcement Administrator at (603) 432-3806.

TEMPORARY SIGN REGULATIONS: Temporary signs require a permit from the Town of Windham Community Development Department and must comply with the following requirements set forth in Section 706 of the Zoning Ordinance:

  • Temporary signs may be a maximum of 24 sq. ft. in size and must be event or product related, e.g. a grand opening or a special event;

  • Only one (1) on-site temporary sign per property is permitted at any one time;

  • Off-site temporary signs are strictly prohibited, except that non-profit organizations may display temporary signs with a permit on Town-owned property and rights-of-way;

  • Temporary signs must comply with the applicable sign setback regulations for the district in which the property is located; and

  • Temporary signs may not be placed within the right-of-way of any State-owned road.

The following types of temporary signs, however, DO NOT require a permit:

  • Traffic and directional signs;

  • Unlighted signs advertising real estate for sale;

  • Signs advertising work performed by an architect, engineer or contractor;

  • Window signs provided they meet the requirements of Section 706.5.1;

  • An “OPEN” flag being no more than 15 sq. ft. (one permitted per business);

  • Political signs; and

  • An A-frame sandwich board sign meeting the requirements of Section 706.6.2.6.

Applications for temporary sign permits are available at the Community Development Department, open Monday – Fridays, 8AM – 4PM, and are also available online. If you have any questions about temporary signs, please contact Tim Corwin, ZBA/Code Enforcement Administrator at (603) 432-3806.

Land Use Regulations:

Planning Board Forms:

Site Plan:

Subdivision:

Sign Permit Applications:

Cobbetts Pond Watershed Protection Overlay District:

Customary Home Occupation:

Miscellaneous Applications:

Other Department Info:

Zoning Board of Adjustment Forms:

 
 

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