Electronic filing of building permit applications.
As of July 1, 2011, all building permit applications must be filed electronically with the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program (FCCIP) of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. If you have questions, you can email Building Inspector James Hawkins or call him at (413) 774-3167 ext 113. To apply for a building permit, login here.
The Board of Health will review and sign your application online. We may ask you to come to a meeting and discuss your project in person.
Why do I need the Board of Health to sign my building permit application?
This is a requirement of the Town’s Zoning Bylaw. Board of Health review of building permit applications ensures that state laws and local regulations are being met, helping to protect both drinking water and groundwater.
What do I have to do to get the Board of Health signature?
For new construction of a dwelling —
The Board must issue the well construction permit and review the driller’s log and water quality analysis before signing the building permit application.
By state law, a building permit for a new home may not be issued unless there is an adequate on-site supply of potable water. An appropriate site for the well is usually determined by the designer of the septic system. Although the septic system need not be approved before the building permit is issued, the Board of Health prefers to have at least a tentative septic system design before issuing the well permit.
For renovation or addition to an existing dwelling or addition of a new structure such as a barn or shed, or a pole-mounted photovoltaic system, the Board of Health has two primary concerns —
1) Wells, water lines, and septic system components under the ground must be protected from damage by heavy machinery or digging, In addition, the required setbacks between the new construction and the well and septic system components must be respected. Whenever there is outdoor construction you must show on the plot plan the location of the well, septic tank, and leaching area.
2) The number of bedrooms or potential bedrooms in the dwelling must be consistent with the number of bedrooms for which the septic system was designed. The Board of Health generally defines as a bedroom any room that constitutes private space and includes an “egress window” usable for escape in case of fire. Whenever interior work results in the creation of additional rooms, or makes private space from existing non-private spaces, you must provide a plan of the entire house with the proposed renovation.
What if my home office, den, playroom, exercise room, etc., causes the number of potential bedrooms to exceed the septic system capacity? Will the Board of Health refuse to sign off, even though I have no intention of using the room as a bedroom?
Certainly not: we trust you. But to make sure the room isn’t used as a permanent bedroom, or sold as a permanent bedroom, at some time in the future, we ask you to first record a notarized deed restriction with the Registry of Deeds at the courthouse in Greenfield and return the recorded document to the Board of Health. This document will appear in any title search done on your property so that any future buyer will be aware of the number of bedrooms the septic system can support. If the septic system is enlarged, or if your home is connected to a sewer system, the restriction is lifted. This results in another document that is recorded at the registry, stating that the restriction no longer applies.
The recording fee is $75, payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. If you wish, you may submit the notarized document and the fee to the Board of Health and we will record it for you.
Return to Board of Health home page
