Off-Grid Living in Wells, Maine

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Wells, Maine, and the short version is: Wells is a fully zoned town, and that shapes everything else here.

Zoning. The Town of Wells administers a comprehensive Land Use ordinance (Chapter 145) through its Code Enforcement Department, with distinct districts like Residential A and Rural, each carrying its own minimum lot size, use lists, and setback rules. In Residential A, for example, lots need 20,000 square feet if served by public sewer, or 40,000 square feet if not, with specific setback distances from lot lines, streets, and cemeteries. You can't just buy raw land and set up camp; any structure or occupancy goes through site plan and permit review.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs. One-family, two-family, and multifamily dwellings all require a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer (CEO), and Wells regulates RV parks in real detail, down to buffer widths and screening requirements. What I couldn't confirm is a clean, official Wells-specific rule on using an RV as a full-time residence on a private lot outside a licensed RV park. I've seen the "120 days" figure floated around by legal-services sites, but that's not sourced to an actual Wells or Maine statute I could verify, so treat it as unconfirmed and call the Wells CEO before relying on it. Tiny homes on foundations would likely fall under the standard dwelling permit process.

Building codes. Wells has adopted the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC), which is a state-level code (per 10 M.R.S. § 9724(1)) that Wells enforces locally. The Code Enforcement Office issues permits and certificates of occupancy.

Septic and composting toilets. The Code Enforcement Office enforces the State of Maine Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules and Internal Plumbing rules, which is how composting and alternative toilets get permitted here. There's also a Residential A district rule that non-wastewater liquid waste must go to the Wells Sanitary District or a licensed facility.

Greywater. Governed by the same state Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules; I found no Wells-specific greywater restriction beyond that, but it's not fully confirmed there isn't one.

Rainwater harvesting. I found nothing in Wells' code addressing this either way. Unclear, not confirmed.

Wells and water. Private wells are permitted, governed by the state well-drilling framework rather than a distinct Wells ordinance, though the town's larger lot-size requirement for unsewered parcels is partly there to accommodate well and septic systems.

Going off-grid entirely. There's no standalone "off-grid ban" in Wells, but between mandatory MUBEC compliance, dwelling permits, and RV-park-style rules for recreational vehicles, unpermitted full-time off-grid living (say, quietly living in an RV on raw land) carries real code enforcement risk. The CEO has authority to order discontinuance of illegal use.

Bottom line: Wells' framework is workable for off-grid systems (septic, composting toilets, wells) but the zoning and permitting layer is real and locally enforced, so loop in the Code Enforcement Office early.