Off-Grid Living in Raymond, Maine

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Raymond, Maine, and the short version is: this is a zoned town with active enforcement, so "off-grid" here means working within permits, not around them.

Zoning. Raymond has a Land Use Ordinance that carves the town into districts (like Village Residential), plus separate Shoreland Zoning and Floodplain Management ordinances. All of it is enforced by the Raymond Code Enforcement Office, which the town says is responsible for administering these ordinances as well as applicable state and federal rules. If you're eyeing a parcel, start by asking the Code Enforcement Office what district it's in and what that means for what you can build.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't confirm a dedicated town rule for tiny homes or RVs as full-time residences. The ordinance does address accessory dwelling units (allowed on the same lot as a single-family home if dimensional requirements are met), and there's a "Personal Campsite" permit application, which hints that seasonal camping structures are handled separately from permanent dwellings. If your plan involves living in an RV or tiny home year-round, that's a question to bring straight to Code Enforcement rather than assume.

Building permits. Raymond requires a permit for essentially any new construction or structural alteration, including decks, sheds, and even dish antennas, per the town's own guidance. The Code Enforcement Officer also serves as the state-recognized Building Official under Maine law and issues permits and certificates of occupancy.

Septic and greywater. Subsurface wastewater systems (septic, composting-toilet setups that discharge, etc.) must meet Maine's statewide Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules, and Raymond processes the state's HHE-200 permit locally through Code Enforcement. Greywater specifically isn't spelled out separately in what I found; it appears to fall under that same state standard, administered locally.

Rainwater harvesting. I found no Raymond-specific rule on rainwater collection either way. That doesn't mean it's banned, just that it's not addressed in the ordinances I reviewed, so I'd call it unconfirmed.

Wells. Private wells are permitted, and Raymond's Subdivision Ordinance requires that individual well water supply proposals be approved in writing by a Maine-registered civil engineer when they're part of a subdivision plan.

Utility disconnection. There's no standalone ordinance banning off-grid, utility-disconnected living. Instead, you feel it indirectly: mandatory building permits, the state septic rules, and Shoreland Zoning, which restricts soil disturbance and clearing within 100 feet of lakes and ponds and 25 feet of streams and wetlands. That shoreland setback is a big deal in a lake-heavy town like Raymond, so factor it in early if your land is anywhere near water.

Bottom line: Raymond isn't hostile to off-grid living, but it's not a regulatory vacuum either. Everything routes through the Code Enforcement Office, and I'd treat a phone call there as step one, not step three.