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Raymond City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 8

Procedure and Enforcement

§ 197-8.1 Administrative procedure.

8.1.1. 
This ordinance shall be administered by a Code Official who shall be appointed by the Town Manager. In the absence of the Code Official, this ordinance shall be administered by the Board of Selectmen.
8.1.2. 
There shall be no start of construction nor shall any building be enlarged, replaced or altered until a building permit shall first have been obtained from the Code Official. (03/1976)
8.1.3. 
Any request for a building permit, in which a permanent structure shall be constructed, shall be accompanied by a certified plot plan unless one is already on file with the Planning Office, Assessor's Office or with the Code Official, in which case a photocopy of the same shall be submitted. All certified plot plans shall bear the stamp of a licensed land surveyor, as required by the New Hampshire Board of Licensure for Land Surveyors. In cases where a septic plan is required, the septic plan may be used as a certified plot plan if a note is included on the plan by the owner of the plan that it may be used for this purpose and it also bears the stamp of a licensed land surveyor. (03/2016)
8.1.3.1. 
A permanent structure is one that has, as part of its construction, either a concrete, post, or pier foundation. Examples of permanent structures are homes, additions, garages, barns, pools, commercial or industrial buildings. (03/2002)
8.1.3.2. 
Open, nonroofed decks, wheelchair ramps and similar disability access structures and sheds shall be considered nonpermanent, for the purpose of providing a certified plot plan only, when applying for the required building permit. (03/2010)
8.1.3.3. 
The certified plot plan shall indicate the location of all permanent buildings, septic systems, well location, driveway(s), and other existing structures such as pools, patios, etc., or in the case of a vacant lot, the lot's boundaries and any permanent existing monumentation. (03/2002)
8.1.3.4. 
The plan shall enumerate the exact lot dimensions, acreage, and square footage of the lot calculated to the nearest 1/100 of an acre. (03/2002).
8.1.4. 
The Code Official shall receive all applications for construction, erection, or placement of all buildings and for the enlargement of all buildings as provided in this ordinance. He shall issue building permits as applied for upon payment of the required fees if, in his opinion, the application complies with all applicable laws of the State of New Hampshire, this ordinance, and other Town laws and ordinances; provided, however, that in any instance where licenses or permits other than the building permit are required, this building permit shall constitute only an approval upon which the proper authority may issue such licenses or permits, and shall in no way be considered as a substitute or alternative for them.
8.1.5. 
Any permit obtained after construction has begun shall be subject to a payment of twice the normal fee. (3/2017)
8.1.6. 
The Code Official shall keep the records necessary to submit to the Town a report, monthly, of all permits issued and fees paid.

§ 197-8.2 Enforcement, legal procedure and penalties.

8.2.1. 
(Reserved)
8.2.2. 
The Code Official or the Selectmen in his stead, as to the enforcement hereof only, shall make orders and decisions and take any and all actions as may be deemed by him or by them to be reasonable necessary to prevent violation of this ordinance as well as to secure the intent of the Ordinance.
8.2.3. 
It shall be the duty of the Board of Selectmen, upon any well-founded information or upon complaint of the Code Official, to take any appropriate action or institute legal proceedings necessary or desirable to prevent any unlawful use or development of any land, building, structure, or premises, in violation of any provisions of this ordinance, whether or not such violation is present or only reasonably anticipated. For this purpose, the Selectmen shall take immediate steps to enforce the provisions of the ordinance by seeking an injunction or other appropriate redress in the courts, or by any other means, or administrative or legal action, reasonably calculated to enforce this ordinance, including, without exception, seeking conviction of any violator of its terms under the penalty clause of this ordinance.
8.2.4. 
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of the ordinance shall be subject to the penalties specified in New Hampshire RSA 676:17.

§ 197-8.3 Codes.

8.3.1. 
(Reserved)
8.3.2. 
All construction in the Town of Raymond shall conform to the State Building Code as referenced in RSA 155-A: 2, as it may be amended from time to time. The application of the above codes shall be made in accordance with the provisions of RSA 155-A:2. (03/2004 & 3/2017)
8.3.3. 
Sprinkler systems shall be installed for all new commercial and industrial buildings of any type, to include multifamily residential dwellings of three or more units, lodging or rooming housing, residential board and care, or group housing. Further, any new uses, additions, renovations to commercial and/or industrial buildings needing the approval of the Planning Board or exceeding 50% improvement of such a building, as determined by the building inspector, shall require the entire structure to be brought into compliance with this section as a condition of approval before issuance of the certificate of occupancy. Sprinkler plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Raymond Fire Department fire inspector(s).
Structures requiring the installation of a sprinkler system shall also have a fire alarm system installed as defined and accepted by the Raymond Fire Department fire inspector(s). Further, a fire alarm system design plan shall be submitted to and approved by the Raymond Fire Department fire inspector(s) prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems required under this section shall meet the requirements of the current edition of the State of New Hampshire applicable codes, including but not limited to NFPA 70, NFPA 72, and, dependent on the occupancy classification, NFPA 13, NFPA 13D, or NFPA 13R. (03/2023)
8.3.4. 
The Town of Raymond shall conform to the National Fire Protection Association 17 standard for dry chemical extinguishing systems, requiring all new and substantially renovated fuel distribution locations to install pre-engineered fire suppression systems to comply with this code. (Note: For new facilities and does not affect existing facilities unless modifications are done to the fuel distribution system). (03/1997)
8.3.5. 
Building separation requirements. Regardless of zone, all construction in the Town of Raymond shall conform to the following minimum building separation requirements and the following maximum building height requirements which equal or exceed the latest NFPA 80A, Recommended Practice for Protection of Buildings from Exterior Fire Exposures, and NFPA 220, Construction Classifications. A story is considered to be a maximum of 10 feet in height.
Number of Stories
Separation Between Principal Buildings
1
30 feet
2
35 feet
3
45 feet
4
55 feet
5 or greater
65 feet
NFPA Construction Classification
Maximum Building Height
Type 1
6 stories
Type 2
5 stories
Type 3
4 stories
Type 4
40 feet
5 or greater
35 feet
8.3.6. 
For any building exceeding 30 feet in height, the minimum building setbacks from the property line must equal the height of the building. This requirement shall not supersede the minimum dimensional requirements set forth under Article 15 of the Zoning Ordinance.

§ 197-8.4 Damage or destruction.

In the event of the damage or destruction, by fire, storm or Act of God, of any building or structure not conforming to the regulations of this ordinance, said building or structure may be rebuilt for its former nonconforming use on its original foundation, provided such construction is started within one year from its damage or destruction and is completed within two years from the date of damage or destruction.

§ 197-8.5 Foundation certification required.

Prior to construction proceeding, past placement of the foundation footings, a plot plan certified by a registered land surveyor shall be presented to the Code Official showing acceptable setback from all lot lines. A sketch plan is required at the time the permit is first requested. (03/1987)

§ 197-8.6 Building permit validity.

All building permits shall be valid for one year, provided that the actual building construction applied for has commenced within six months of the issuance of the permit. An extension may be granted upon request and with no additional fee. A building permit shall be required for all alterations and conversions. Building permits are not transferable.

§ 197-8.7 Building permit fees.

Building permit fees will be set by the Selectmen.