Off-Grid Living in Hart's Location, New Hampshire

I'll be straight with you: Hart's Location, New Hampshire is one of the smallest towns I've researched for this site (population 68 as of 2020), but "tiny" doesn't mean "unregulated." This is a zoned town with its own board of selectmen, a planning board, and a zoning board of adjustment, and the Hart's Location Zoning Ordinance has actually been amended recently by ballot vote at Town Meeting. So don't assume informal size equals no rules, it means fewer staff to answer your questions, not fewer rules on the books.

Zoning. The town maintains its own Zoning Ordinance and Master Plan, posted on the town's website. I wasn't able to pull district-by-district use tables from what's publicly available, so if you're eyeing a specific parcel, you'll want to call the Board of Selectmen or check the posted ordinance yourself before assuming raw land can be occupied.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find a Hart's Location-specific policy on tiny homes or RVs as permanent dwellings. Absent a found town rule, assume the state baseline applies, and confirm directly with the town before you set one up as a residence.

Building permits. This one's clear: Hart's Location requires a building permit for any construction that changes a structure's value or footprint. Interior renovations that don't change value are exempt, unless you're adding bedrooms or bathrooms. The town also requires an NH Residential Energy Code Application for new residences, additions, or renovations. Applications live on the town's website; the Board of Selectmen handles this.

Septic. Any structure hooked to a water supply must also be connected to a wastewater disposal system, per state ISDS rules enforced through the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). Some New Hampshire towns are "Prior Approval Towns" requiring local sign-off on septic applications before the state will issue a permit. I could not confirm whether Hart's Location is one of these, so ask the Selectmen directly.

Greywater, rainwater, wells. I found no town-specific ordinances on any of these. Greywater reuse is generally unclear at the state level too, so treat it as an open question. Rainwater harvesting for indoor non-potable use appears to be permitted under the state's general posture, with nothing town-specific overriding it. Private wells fall under the state Water Well Board's licensing framework; the town's own materials just note that water typically comes from an on-site well or a service connection.

Full off-grid disconnection. There's no blanket ban I could find, but the practical reality is that Hart's Location requires wastewater disposal for any water-connected structure, and building permits apply to most construction. That means an off-grid cabin still runs through the same septic and building review as anything else in town, it's not exempt just because it's off-grid.

Given the tiny scale of this town's administration, I'd genuinely recommend an early phone call or email to the Selectmen before you plan anything. Small towns like this often handle questions case by case rather than through a thick rulebook.