Off-Grid Living in Lyman, New Hampshire

I'll be upfront: Lyman, New Hampshire is a small town, and its zoning ordinance is more restrictive on paper than a lot of people expect from a rural NH town. It is fully zoned, not one of those unzoned "wide open" towns you sometimes hear about further north. That matters a lot if you're planning an off-grid build here.

Zoning. The Town of Lyman's zoning ordinance lays out a permitted-use table, and the rule is blunt: if a use isn't listed for the Residential District, it's not allowed. Single and two-family dwellings are permitted (one dwelling per lot), along with manufactured housing, presite-built housing, and accessory dwelling units as defined in the ordinance. You'll need a Zoning/Building Permit from the town before putting up any new structure. I did not find explicit language addressing RVs or tiny-homes-on-wheels as permanent residences, so if that's your plan, call the town and ask directly rather than assuming it's fine.

Building permits. Lyman requires its own Zoning/Building Permit for new construction or relocating a structure, administered through the Zoning Administrator (routed through the Selectboard office since the Building Inspector role is currently listed as vacant). Repairs or remodels that don't change use generally don't trigger a permit. The town's own permit application asks you to disclose road/driveway access and attach a septic plan, so plan on having that ready before you apply.

Septic and composting toilets. Septic systems are regulated at the state level by NH DES under its Subsurface Systems Bureau (Env-Wq 1000 rules). You need a permitted NH septic designer to prepare plans, and both an Approval for Construction and an Approval for Operation from the state before you can use the system, with local sign-off where required. Lyman folds this into its own permit by requiring the septic plan up front. Composting toilets aren't addressed in what I could find at the town level, so that's a "confirm with the town" item.

Greywater and rainwater. I found no Lyman-specific rules on either. This looks like a gap rather than a green light, common across small NH towns, so don't assume either is unregulated just because it's silent. State plumbing code provisions would likely apply to any indoor rainwater use.

Wells. No separate town well ordinance, but the town's permit paperwork does ask about your water supply type and well details, consistent with the state's NH Water Well Board framework.

Off-grid utility disconnection. Lyman has no municipal water or sewer system in the sources I reviewed, so there's nothing to "disconnect" from in that sense, but you still need the zoning/building permit and septic/water disclosures regardless of how off-grid your intentions are.

Bottom line: Lyman is workable for an off-grid homestead, but it runs through permits, not around them. Call the Selectboard office before you buy land or break ground.