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Building near the water in Lewiston, Maine (shoreland zoning)

Lewiston, Androscoggin County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-16 · Reviewed · 15 cited sections

Allowed with board review

Lewiston's shoreland zone covers land within 250 feet of the Androscoggin River, No Name Pond, the Resource Conservation District and certain large wetlands, plus narrower strips along listed brooks. New buildings must be set back at least 75 feet from the water (100 feet from No Name Pond, 25 feet in General Development areas), and you need a shoreland permit for new work, expansions or changes there.

Shoreland zone250 ft from Androscoggin River, No Name Pond, RC District, mapped large wetlands; 75 ft or 25 ft from listed brooks/streams [1]
Building setback from water75 ft (100 ft from No Name Pond; 25 ft in General Development) [2]
Impervious surface cap20% of the lot's shoreland portion (70% in General Development) [3]
Expansion within 25 ft of waterProhibited for the part within 25 ft, except a principal building located entirely within 25 ft (see next) [4]
Building entirely within 25 ftFootprint up to 800 sq ft or 30% over the 1989 footprint, whichever is greater; height 15 ft or existing, whichever is greater [13]
Expansion within 75 ftTotal footprint max 1,000 sq ft or 30% over 1989 footprint, whichever is greater [5]
Height of expanded building within 75 ftMax 20 ft or existing height, whichever is greater [10]
Buffer clearingNo cleared opening over 250 sq ft; one footpath up to 6 ft wide [6]
Tree removalMax 40% of tree volume (4 in+) in any 10 years [7]
PermitShoreland permit required [8]

Where the rules apply

The shoreland standards are in Article XII, Sec. 2 of the zoning code. The zone covers land within 250 feet of the Androscoggin River and No Name Pond, the Resource Conservation District, land within 250 feet of mapped wetlands of 10 acres or more, and 75- or 25-foot strips along listed brooks and streams [1].

Setbacks and lot coverage

New principal and accessory structures must be set back at least 100 feet from No Name Pond and 75 feet from other water bodies, tributary streams and freshwater wetlands [2]. In the General Development District the setback is 25 feet, and in the Resource Conservation District it's 250 feet. Impervious surfaces are capped at 20 percent of the lot's shoreland portion, or 70 percent in General Development Districts [3].

Expanding an older building

A nonconforming structure can expand with a permit if the expansion doesn't increase the nonconformity [14]. No part of a structure within 25 feet of the water may be expanded [4], with one exception: a principal building located entirely less than 25 feet from the water may grow to a footprint of 800 square feet or 30 percent more than its January 1, 1989 footprint, whichever is greater, and a height of 15 feet or its existing height, whichever is greater [12][13]. For other buildings less than 75 feet from the water, the combined footprint is capped at 1,000 square feet or 30 percent more than the January 1, 1989 footprint, whichever is greater [5], and height at 20 feet or the existing height, whichever is greater [10]. Within 100 feet of No Name Pond the caps are 1,500 square feet (or 30 percent more) and 25 feet (or the existing height). An accessory building that sits closer to the water than the house can't be expanded at all.

Trees and clearing

Within 100 feet of a great pond or 75 feet of other waters, no cleared opening in the canopy may exceed 250 square feet, though one winding footpath up to 6 feet wide is allowed [6]. No more than 40 percent of the volume of trees 4 inches or larger may be removed in any 10-year period [7].

No Name Pond watershed

The No Name Pond Conservation Overlay covers the pond's whole watershed. It adds a 100-foot shoreline setback, a 50-foot natural vegetated buffer, a 0.1 maximum impervious ratio, a 30 percent cap on lawns and gardens [11], and phosphorus and stormwater requirements even for single-lot homes [9].

Permits

You need a shoreland permit before any regulated activity, or to expand, change or replace an existing use or structure [8]. Apply to Planning & Code Enforcement on the City's Shoreland Zone Permit Application. The shoreland section names only "the appropriate reviewing authority"; Article V makes the code enforcement official the code's administrator unless stated otherwise [15], so ask whether your project also needs Planning Board review. Work in or beside the water may also need state approval.

See how Lewiston compares with 8+ other Maine towns on building near the water (shoreland zoning) →

Next steps

  1. Check the City's zoning map (or ask Planning & Code Enforcement) to see whether your lot is in the Shoreland Zoning Overlay or No Name Pond watershed.
  2. Measure your building's distance from the normal high-water line and the lot's existing impervious area.
  3. Complete the Shoreland Zone Permit Application with a scaled site plan and a narrative addressing the approval criteria; include a plumbing permit/site evaluation if you're on septic.
  4. Submit it to Planning & Code Enforcement, 27 Pine St. (PlanningCode@lewistonmaine.gov, 207-513-3125); the reviewing authority decides within 30 days of a complete application.

Common questions

What is the shoreland zone in Lewiston, Maine?
Lewiston's shoreland zone covers land within 250 feet of the Androscoggin River and No Name Pond, the Resource Conservation District, land within 250 feet of mapped large wetlands, and 75- or 25-foot strips along listed brooks and streams. You need a shoreland permit for new work, expansions or changes there.
How far from the water do I have to build in Lewiston, Maine?
New buildings must be set back at least 75 feet from water bodies, streams and wetlands, 100 feet from No Name Pond, and 25 feet in General Development areas. Impervious surfaces are capped at 20% of the lot's shoreland portion (70% in General Development).
Can I expand a house near the water in Lewiston, Maine?
Sometimes. No part within 25 feet of the water may expand, except a house entirely within 25 feet, which may reach 800 square feet or 30% over its 1989 footprint, whichever is greater. Within 75 feet, the total footprint is capped at 1,000 square feet or 30% over 1989, whichever is greater.
Can I cut trees near the water in Lewiston, Maine?
Only selectively. In the shoreland buffer no cleared opening may exceed 250 square feet, though one winding footpath up to 6 feet wide is allowed, and no more than 40% of the volume of trees 4 inches or larger may be removed in any 10 years.
Who issues shoreland permits in Lewiston, Maine?
Apply to Planning & Code Enforcement on the City's Shoreland Zone Permit Application. The ordinance names only "the appropriate reviewing authority," so ask staff whether your project also needs Planning Board review.

Maine's shoreland zoning rules

Under the Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act (38 M.R.S. §435–449), every town must enforce shoreland zoning at least as strict as the DEP's minimum guidelines (Chapter 1000).

What's in the shoreland zone: land within 250 ft of a great pond, river, tidal water, coastal wetland or most freshwater wetlands, and within 75 ft of a stream.

State minimum standards:

  • Setbacks for new buildings: 100 ft from great ponds classified GPA and from rivers that flow into them. 75 ft from other water bodies, tributary streams and wetlands.
  • Lot coverage: non-vegetated surfaces (buildings, driveways, etc.) are capped at 20% of the shoreland part of the lot in most districts.
  • Expanding an older building that sits too close to the water: no expansion of any part within 25 ft of the water. Within 75 ft, the total footprint is capped at 1,000 sq ft or 30% more than the footprint on Jan. 1, 1989, whichever is larger, and height at 20 ft or the existing height.
  • Vegetation buffer (within 100 ft of GPA ponds, 75 ft of other waters): no cleared opening over 250 sq ft, except one winding footpath up to 6 ft wide. Selective tree cutting only, with no more than 40% of tree volume removed in 10 years.
  • Total clearing: at most 25% of the shoreland lot area or 10,000 sq ft, whichever is larger, in most districts.

Work in or beside the water may also need a DEP permit.

State sources: 38 M.R.S. §435 (Shoreland areas) · DEP Chapter 1000: Guidelines for Municipal Shoreland Zoning Ordinances · Maine DEP Shoreland Zoning program · 38 M.R.S. §480-C (NRPA permit requirement)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Lewiston's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 3.B Applicability, Specific Descriptions, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 2
    i.) All land areas within 250 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high watermark of the Androscoggin River, No Name Pond, and to all areas included within the Resource Conservation District, as shown on the "Official Zoning Map of the City of Lewiston, Maine";
  2. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 9.B.1 Principal and Accessory Structures, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 21
    All new principal and accessory structures shall be set back at least: a. One hundred (100) feet, horizontal distance, from the normal high-water line of No Name Pond. b. Seventy-five (75) feet, horizontal distance from the from the normal high- water line of a water body, tributary stream or upland edge of a freshwater wetland. c. In the General Development District the setback from the normal high- water line shall be at least twenty five (25) feet, horizontal distance.
  3. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 9.B.4, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 22
    Impervious surfaces shall not exceed twenty (20) percent of the portion of the lot located within the shoreland zone, except areas designated as General Development Districts. In the areas designated as General Development Districts, non-vegetated surfaces shall not exceed seventy (70) percent of the portion of the lot within the shoreland zone.
  4. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1)b Non-conforming Structures, Expansions, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 14
    Expansion of any portion of a structure within 25 feet of the normal high- water line of a water body, tributary stream, or upland edge of a wetland is prohibited, even if the expansion will not increase nonconformity with the water body, tributary stream, or wetland setback requirement.
  5. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1)d(i)-(ii), Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 14
    For structures located less than 75 feet from the normal high-water line of a water body, tributary stream, or upland edge of a wetland, the maximum combined total footprint of all structures may not be expanded to an area greater than 1,000 square feet or 30% larger than the footprint that existed on January 1, 1989, whichever is greater.
  6. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 9.N(2)(a) Clearing or Removal of Vegetation, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 32
    There shall be no cleared opening greater than 250 square feet in the forest canopy (or other existing woody vegetation if a forested canopy is not present) as measured from the outer limits of the tree or shrub crown.
  7. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 9.N(2)(b), Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 34
    Notwithstanding the above provisions, no more than 40% of the total volume of trees four (4) inches or more in diameter, measured at 4 1/2 feet above ground level may be removed in any ten (10) year period.
  8. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 10.A Permits Required, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 42
    After the effective date of this Ordinance, no person shall, without first obtaining a shoreland permit, engage in any activity or use of land or structure requiring a permit in the Shoreland zone in which such activity or use would occur; or expand, change, or replace an existing use or structure; or renew a discontinued nonconforming use.
  9. Art. XI, Sec. 24(2)(f) No Name Pond conservation overlay district, space and bulk standards, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XI - District Regulations incl. Land Use Table and Space & Bulk Table (as amended through Ord. 26-19, eff. 2026-08-20), p. 24
    Minimum setback from shoreline (all structures other than permitted piers, docks, marinas and similar water dependent uses) 100 feet Minimum shoreline buffer retained in natural vegetated state 50 feet Minimum shoreline frontage for any abutting on the pond 100 feet Minimum buffer from perennial or intermittent stream or open stormwater drainage course retained in natural vegetated state 50 feet Maximum impervious surface ratio 0.1
  10. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1)d(ii), Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 15
    For structures located less than 75 feet from the normal high-water line of a water body, tributary stream, or upland edge of a wetland, the maximum height of any structure may not be made greater than 20 feet or the height of the existing structure, whichever is greater.
  11. Art. XI, Sec. 24(2)(g)(2) No Name Pond conservation overlay district, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XI - District Regulations incl. Land Use Table and Space & Bulk Table (as amended through Ord. 26-19, eff. 2026-08-20), p. 25
    The total area of any lot devoted to lawns and gardens shall not exceed 30 percent of the total area of the lot.
  12. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1)c Non-conforming structures entirely within 25 ft, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 14
    Notwithstanding Sub-Section 8 (C) (1) (b), if a nonconforming principal structure is entirely located less than 25 feet from the normal high-water line of a water body, tributary stream, or upland edge of a wetland, that structure may be expanded as follows, as long as all other applicable standards of this Ordinance are met and the expansion is not prohibited by Sub-Section 8 (C) (1) above:
  13. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1)c(i)-(ii), Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 14
    (i) The maximum total footprint of the principal structure may not be expanded to an area greater than 800 square feet or 30% larger than the footprint that existed on January 1, 1989, whichever is greater. (ii) The maximum height of the principal structure may not be made greater than 15 feet or the height of the existing structure, whichever is greater.
  14. Art. XII, Sec. 2, 8.C(1) Expansions, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article XII - Performance Standards (as amended through Ord. 26-05, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 14
    A non-conforming structure may be added to or expanded after obtaining a permit from the same permitting authority as that for a new structure, if such addition or expansion does not increase the non-conformity of the structure and is in accordance with Sub-Section 8 C (1) (a) through (f) below.
  15. Art. V, Sec. 4 Administrative official, Zoning and Land Use Code (Appendix A) Article V - Administration and Enforcement (as amended through Ord. 26-03, eff. 2026-03-05), p. 7
    Unless otherwise specifically stated, the director of code enforcement and the code enforcement officers and inspectors under his supervision (hereinafter code enforcement official) shall administer and enforce this Code
This page summarizes Lewiston's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-16. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Planning & Code Enforcement Department (City Hall, 27 Pine St., 3rd floor) (207-513-3125) before you build. Spot an error?