Building & Compliance

Compliance Committee

If you would like to report a violation or get in touch with the compliance committee, please email [email protected]

Building and Compliance Guidelines: Compliance Committee Notice – 02.2024

Building Notices

New Building Permit Application for 2025

There are three primary changes effective January 1, 2025:

• New Home Construction
  • Capital Improvement Fund (CIF) Fee is increased from $1000 to $1500
  • Building Permit Application Fee is increased from $350 to $500
• Property Changes (sheds, decks, home exterior, tree cutting etc)
  • Building Permit Application Fee is increased from $25 to $50

The CIF increase was voted on and approved by owners in August of 2024.

The Building Permit Application Fees were voted on and approved by the Board of Directors in December of 2025.  This increase is to cover the cost of Building and Compliance administration expenses such as; issuance of notices, monthly and on-demand drive trough inspections, US postage, issuance and collection of fines and general accounting.

See Building Permit Application section below for additional detail and forms.

Water Hook-up During Construction

For New Construction: WATER HOOK-UP DETAILS AND FEES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN APPLICATION.  Further information on water hook-up can be obtained by contacting Allison Smith of the Waterville Estates District Water Department: [email protected] (603) 726-3082

Exterior Fuel Tanks

The Restrictions, Easements and Covenants (REC’s) prohibit exposed exterior fuel tanks.  The Building Committee is responsible for determining whether the fuel tank is in compliance with the REC’s.  If you have any questions, please drop a note to the [email protected].

Examples of acceptable fuel tank screenings

Green Tank & Arborvitae screen

Tanks Screened with Wood Siding

Building Permit Application

Please review Restrictions, Easements and Covenants information below before completing a Building Permit Application.

• Current Building Permit Application for 2024 – BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION – 05-23-2024a.
• New Building Permit Application effective January 1, 2025 – WEA Building Permit – 01.01.2025

Restrictions, Easements and Covenants (RECs)

The Waterville Estates Association Building Committee would like to remind all home and lot owners that their compliance with the Waterville Estates Restrictions Easements and Covenants (RECs) and Homeowner Association Bylaws is required. When you purchased your property you should have received copies of these documents (printed copies are available to Property Owners at the front desk of the Community Center).  As a Property Owner, it is your responsibility to be familiar with these documents.

The Building Committee is primarily concerned with preserving property values through upholding uniform standards of construction and aesthetics:

Article VI of the RECs states the requirements for construction and improvements on homesites. Especially important is Section D:  “Approval of Plans.  No building or other structure shall be commenced, erected, placed or maintained, on any Homesite or Cluster Homesite, nor shall any exterior addition to or exterior change in any building or other structure be made until adequate plans, specifications, site plan, sewage system plan and other pertinent data showing the nature, kind, shape height, materials, color and location of such building or other structure, including the identity and resume of the general or principal contractor, if any, have been approved in writing, as to harmony of exterior architectural design and location in relation to surrounding structures and topography, and regarding the said contractor, as to competence and financial capability, by the Building Committee.”

The Building Committee requires adherence to the standards stated in the RECs above but renders no professional opinion in regard to the engineering or design of a project.  The Owner is responsible for ensuring that proper design and engineering techniques are implemented in all scopes of the work undertaken.  The Owner is responsible for any incidental damage or depreciation to other properties resulting from changes to the hydrology or aesthetics of their property.  Furthermore, the Property Owner is responsible for obtaining and abiding by any and all approvals of the Towns of Campton and Thornton as well as any department or agency of the State of New Hampshire and the Federal Government.

No building or structure or change to the exterior of a building should be started until an application for a Building Permit for such work is submitted to and approved by the Building Committee (Building Permit application forms are available at the Community Center Front Desk and can be downloaded from the links above).

It is important to note that by following the Building Committee application process, homeowners are reminded of the need for abiding by all Federal, State, and local codes. The process of meeting proper code requirements puts homeowners, and contractors working for homeowners, directly in contact with the experts who have the knowledge to ensure that projects are carried out in a manner that results in a safe and ecologically sound completion.
When the application process is ignored the ability of the Waterville Estates Association Building Committee to protect and serve the community is circumvented. The RECs, the By-Laws and the Building Committee Building Permit application are the tools by which Waterville Estates community members can conform to the standards for the community.

The Building Committee is particularly concerned with the installation of new heating systems by homeowners throughout the Estates.  Installations should be done by competent licensed installers, who obtain the necessary permits, and then should be inspected by the Campton/Thornton Fire Chief.  Un-inspected installations can result in host of catastrophes:

• Improperly ventilated heating units can cause Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

• Improper ventilation can result in heating units shutting down, allowing water pipes to freeze and burst which can result in severe water damage.

• Improperly installed wood stoves are serious fire hazards.

• Improperly installed fuel storage tanks can result in fuel spills and subsequent ecological damage. Article VII, Section C of the RECs states:  “Exterior Fuel Tank.  No exterior tank for the storage of fuel may be maintained on any Living Site unless buried or housed in a structure approved by the Building Committee.”  However, the WEA Board of Directors has approved the Building Committee’s recommendation that if fuel tanks (gas or oil) are not exposed to public view from the road or from neighboring properties, then enclosing them is at the discretion of the Owner.

• Wooden chimney enclosures can, over years of use, become charred internally and become susceptible to a fire, which can then spread into the home.

Please take the time to re-familiarize yourselves with the RECs and the By-Laws, which are available in links above or at the front desk of the Community Center. If you have general questions about the process don’t hesitate to call at (603) 726-3082.
Let’s continue to make Waterville Estates a better place for all those who live, recreate and work here.