[HISTORY: Adopted by the Special Town Meeting 11-12-1974 by Art. 2
as Art. VIII of the 1975 Bylaws. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 5-1-2021 ATM by Art. 17]
A.
No building construction, moving or material alteration
costing more than $500 shall be made to any building or structure
without a permit from the Select Board or Building Inspector. No such
permit shall be issued until the Board of Health shall have certified,
in writing, that all health regulations have been fully complied with
and the Planning Board shall have likewise certified that it conforms
to any pertinent provisions of the Subdivision Rules and Regulations.[1] Notice of all building permits granted by the Select Board
or Building Inspector shall be promptly transmitted to the Board of
Assessors.
B.
The applicant shall submit plans and specifications
of such work or buildings for examination and approval. A plan of
the lot on which any proposed building is to be erected, listing the
abutters' names, is to be filed with the application. The location
of the structure is to be drawn on the lot. All drawings are to be
submitted in duplicate, and one copy is to remain on file, the other
copy to be stamped with the Select Board's or Building Inspector's
seal of approval. If the Select Board or Building Inspector are of
the opinion that the requirements of this chapter have been complied
with, they shall thereupon issue said stamped permits to the applicants.
[Amended 11-16-2021 STM by Art. 4]
C.
The permit signed by the Select Board or Building
Inspector and the Board of Assessors shall be posted in public view.
No basement of a building under construction
shall be occupied for residential purposes for a period of more than
two years without approval of the Board of Health.
Permits will not be granted for the construction
or alteration of any structure that will cause a change in existing
grades and contours which interfere with drainage of water to or from
the public highways unless provision is made at the owner's expense
for the proper disposal of such water by gutters, ditches, pipes or
other necessary drainage structures. The owner will be required to
grant the town any necessary drainage easements.
[Amended 5-1-2021 ATM by Art. 17]
No person may build or construct any connection
between any private driveway in the Town of Westminster and any public
town road in the Town of Westminster without first obtaining a permit
from the Select Board or Building Inspector.
A.
Prior to final construction of a driveway, a sketch
must be submitted on the reverse side of application entitled "Construction
of Driveway Permit Required," showing lot lines, any inlets or culverts
and the exact location of the proposed driveway. The sketch must show
the approximate width of the driveway after grading and/or surfacing.
B.
The Highway Department is concerned with width and
flare of driveways where they meet the road, since the road surface
is not to be disturbed and the gutter line maintained.
C.
The application shall be submitted to the Highway
Superintendent and, on his approval, a permit shall be issued by the
Select Board or Building Inspector.
[Amended 5-1-2021 ATM by Art. 17]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 81-6, Filling of land,
was repealed STM 11-19-2013 by Art. 14.
[Amended ATM 5-1-2010 by Art. 33; 11-16-2021 STM by Art. 4]
Camping trailers, utility trailers, horse trailers,
boats or pickup campers used by the resident for his own use may be
stored on a residential lot. No such trailers, campers or boats may
be used for a dwelling on a residential lot. The Select Board may
issue, consistent with the Zoning Bylaw,[1] temporary permits for residential uses of a camper or
trailer, if the user is in the process of building a house.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Assessors
to assign a street number to each building permit before it is issued.
B.
Street numbers shall be attached to each dwelling,
business, industry and other building in the Town of Westminster.
[Added STM 9-14-1987 by Art. 10]
(1)
The number shall be made of permanent, weatherproof
materials, at least three inches in height, in a contrasting color
and clearly visible from the street or roadway upon which the structure
fronts.
(2)
Any structure that is not visible from the street
or roadway shall have the assigned number posted on a suitable support
at the entrance to the driveway that services such structure.
(3)
The numbers posted shall be those assigned to each
structure by the Board of Assessors and filed in the office of the
Town Clerk. Said Board shall advise the owners of property of the
assigned or reassigned number, in writing, at the property's tax address.
(4)
It shall be the responsibility of each property owner
in the town to obtain, display and maintain the assigned street number
within 90 days of passage of this chapter.
(5)
This subsection shall be enforced by either the Police
Department or Fire Department. Failure to comply with this subsection
shall subject property owners to a fine of not more than $20 for each
offense.
[Added ATM 5-7-2011 by Art. 37]
A.
Purpose: In order to ensure the safe handling of electricity, owners
of buildings with alternative energy installations shall be responsible
for providing notification of alternative electrical sources on any
type of structure supplying electricity from a power company.
B.
Label requirements: Owners of buildings with alternative energy installations
shall label all disconnects and main electrical panels with an approved
decal provided by the Westminster Fire Department. Alternative electrical
sources shall include, but are not limited to, solar panels, wind
power, backup generators and any new technology that would produce
power other than power supplied by an electrical company.
C.
Type of labels and location: Decal(s) supplied by the Westminster
Fire Department shall be placed in a readily visible location on the
meter socket on the outside of a building and inside on the main electrical
panel door.
D.
New installations: Labels shall be installed prior to the issuance
of a certificate of completion.
E.
Existing locations: The Westminster Fire Department shall issue decals
to owners of buildings with existing alternative energy sources as
these buildings become known to Fire Department personnel.
