Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from North Yarmouth's published ordinances, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.
Last reviewed
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Yes. North Yarmouth allows one accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a single-family home, approved by the Code Enforcement Officer, in every district except Resource Protection. The ADU can be inside, attached or detached, is limited to one bedroom and 40% of the main house's living area, and the owner must live in either the ADU or the main house.Allowed with a permit
Backyard Chickens North Yarmouth's Land Use Ordinance has no backyard-chicken rules: there's no hen limit, rooster ban, coop setback or chicken permit, and nothing in it prohibits a home flock. This answer rests on that silence: the ordinance only addresses poultry as part of agriculture (keeping animals for sale), which is allowed without a permit in the Village Center, Village Residential, Farm and Forest and Residential Shoreland districts.Allowed
Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO) North Yarmouth doesn't have a short-term rental ordinance, and its Land Use Ordinance has no registration, license, cap or minimum-stay rule for Airbnb or VRBO rentals. Maine's state lodging-tax rules still apply.Not specifically regulated
Fences North Yarmouth's Land Use Ordinance doesn't regulate residential fence height or placement: there's no height limit, property-line setback or fence permit for homeowners. Fences come up only as screening for commercial site plans, so check with the Code Enforcement Office before building one near a road.Not specifically regulated
Sheds & Accessory Buildings A shed under 200 sq ft and under 15 ft tall needs no permit in North Yarmouth; anything bigger needs a Building/Land Use Permit from the Code Enforcement Officer. Every shed must still meet property-line setbacks: 50 ft front and 20 ft side and rear in Farm and Forest and the shoreland districts, 20/10/10 ft in Village Residential, and 10/10/5 ft in Village Center.Allowed with a permit
Burn Permits & Backyard Fires North Yarmouth doesn't have its own open-burning ordinance, and its Land Use Ordinance doesn't regulate brush burning or backyard fire pits. Maine's statewide burn permit rules apply: get a permit from the Maine Forest Service online system or the town's forest fire warden before burning brush.Not specifically regulated
Home-Based Businesses Yes. Home occupations are a permitted use with Code Enforcement Officer approval in the Village Center, Village Residential and Farm and Forest districts, and need Planning Board site plan review in the Residential Shoreland district. You may have one non-family employee, use up to 50% of the home's floor area, generate up to 40 vehicle trips a day, and put up one sign of up to 4 sq ft.Allowed with a permit
Swimming Pools Yes, with a permit. North Yarmouth treats a swimming pool as an accessory structure that needs a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer and must meet property-line setbacks: 50 ft front and 20 ft side and rear in Farm and Forest and the shoreland districts, 20/10/10 ft in Village Residential, 10/10/5 ft in Village Center. The Land Use Ordinance sets no pool fence or barrier rules of its own.Allowed with a permit
Building Near the Water (Shoreland Zoning) North Yarmouth's shoreland zone covers land within 250 ft of the Royal River, Chandler Brook, the East Branch, Knight's Pond and the Deer Brook wetland, and within 75 ft of mapped sections of several smaller brooks. New buildings must be set back 250 ft from the Royal River, Chandler Brook and East Branch (150 ft from the other mapped waters), and Resource Protection land allows new homes only by Planning Board special exception.Depends on your zone
Docks, Piers & Floats Yes, with town approval. A temporary (seasonal) dock needs a Code Enforcement Officer permit and can be no wider than 6 ft for non-commercial use. A permanent dock or pier in the shoreland districts needs Planning Board approval, plus proof that a temporary dock isn't feasible and a Maine DEP permit.Allowed with a permit