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Windham, Maine: what can you build or do?

Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from Windham's published ordinances, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.

Last reviewed 2026-10-03

• Backyard Chickens
  Yes, in Windham's Farm, Farm-Residential, Light-Density Residential and Medium-Density Residential districts. You can keep up to 12 hens per lot, and roosters aren't allowed. A new henhouse needs a building permit and must meet the zone's side and rear setbacks, and it can't go in the front setback.Allowed with a permit
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Windham requires a permit for all open burning, such as brush piles. Small recreational fires (3 ft across or 3 ft high or less) don't need a town permit, though state law may still require a burn permit for a campfire when the ground isn't snow-covered. Outdoor fireplaces must be at least 25 feet from structures, and every fire must be attended by an adult with a hose or extinguisher ready.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Shoreland Zoning)
  In Windham's shoreland zone (within 250 ft of a great pond, river or wetland, or 100 ft of a stream), new buildings must be set back 100 ft from GPA great ponds and 75 ft from other waters and wetlands. Only 20% of the shoreland part of your lot can be covered by buildings, driveways and other non-vegetated surfaces. A Code Enforcement permit is needed for accessory structures and for expanding a nonconforming building, and the vegetated buffer along the water must be kept.Allowed with a permit
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  A permanent dock or pier in Windham needs Planning Board site plan approval in every shoreland district, and on lakes and ponds it's allowed only if the Board finds a temporary dock isn't feasible and DEP has issued a permit. Only one dock is allowed per lot unless the lot has at least twice the minimum shore frontage. The ordinance doesn't say whether a seasonal, removable dock needs a town permit, so ask Code Enforcement.Allowed with board review

We couldn't download Windham's ordinance text for the other 6 topics yet, so we don't cover them rather than guess.