HARRISVILLE ZONING
ARTICLE XIII DEVELOPMENT ON STEEP SLOPES (adopted March 
1987) 
 
13.1. AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE By the authority granted in N.H. RSA 674: 
16-17 and 674:20-21, and in the interest of public health, safety and 
welfare of individual land owners, owners of abutting property, and the 
Town of Harrisville, these regulations are intended to guide the use of 
steeply sloping land. 
 
13.1.1. Where steep slopes exist in the Town of Harrisville, the nature 
of these soils is such as to render the land exceptionally vulnerable to 
erosion and attendant problems of water pollution, potentially affecting 
not only an individual landowner's property, but that of abutters and 
ultimately the community. These regulations are intended to protect the 
Town from undue hardship of expense caused by excessive erosion of 
hillsides due to improper excavation, drainage, construction of 
driveways, or other activities which disturb the fragile soil conditions 
of steep slope areas and may result in sedimentation, erosion or the 
creation of a watercourse where one did not previously exist on 
neighboring property, town property, or by interference with town or 
state road drainage systems. They are further intended to protect the 
Town from the public health hazard of improper construction and the 
possible resulting failure of septic systems constructed in steep slope 
areas. 
 
13.1.2. Therefore, the Town of Harrisville deems it necessary and 
proper to regulate certain practices upon and uses of such lands to 
preserve our common heritage and protect the health and well-being of 
all the inhabitants. 
 
13.2. DEFINITION AND DELINEATION. 
 
13.2.1. Slope is defined as a percent determined by dividing vertical 
distance (rise) by horizontal distance (run) and "steep" slopes are 
generally considered areas where this ratio exceeds fifteen percent. The 
regulations contained herein apply to any lot, parcel or tract of land 
in the Town of Harrisville regardless of the zoning district in which 
said lot is located. These regulations come into effect for the 
construction of driveways with a slope of ten percent or greater, the 
construction of septic systems where the leaching field location is on a 
slope of twelve percent or greater and the construction of buildings 
where the slope of the building site is fifteen percent or greater. 
These steep slope regulations provide supplementary controls over land 
use in addition to the requirements of the several zoning districts. The 
proposed location of any of the above mentioned construction activities 
will be checked and a determination of slope made by the agent of the 
Selectmen after an on-site inspection. Where it is alleged that this 
determination is in error, assistance will be requested from the 
Cheshire County Conservation District. In such cases, detailed 
engineering data may also be requested from the land owner to provide a 
more accurate determination of the slopes involved. 
 
13.3. PROVISIONS. If the agent of the Selectmen determines after an on 
site investigation that the land upon which a building, driveway, septic 
system or other structure is to be constructed is of excessively sloping 
nature according to the standards contained herein, a building permit 
for uses normally permitted in that zoning district may issued only 
after evidence that the following conditions will be met is submitted to 
the agent of the Selectmen. 
 
13.3.1. Driveways: Driveways and other land clearing shall not cause 
excessive erosion. 
 
13.3.2. Driveway access onto the town or state roads shall not create an 
undue traffic hazard. 
 
13.3.3. If the slope of the driveway is ten percent or greater, an 
adequate surface storm-water drainage system shall be designed in order 
to minimize erosion and sedimentation to the maximum extent possible 
both during and after construction. 
 
13.3.4. In the event a driveway is to be constructed having a slope of 
ten percent or greater, engineering data prepared by an engineer, 
certified by the State of New Hampshire, shall be submitted to show that 
the following conditions have been met: 
 
13.3.4.1. Sediment in the runoff water both during and after 
construction shall be trapped by the uses of sediment basins or other 
acceptable methods, until the disturbed area is stabilized. 
 
13.3.4.2. The storm-drainage system and culvert capacity shall be based 
on a design flow with a minimum return interval of a ten 
year/twenty-four hour storm. 
 
13.3.4.3. No new drainage-ways shall be created nor additional run-off 
directed to adjacent properties unless necessary easements are obtained. 
 
13.3.5. Septic System Leaching Areas. Any land area with a natural slope 
of twelve percent or greater shall not be altered or used for the 
disposal of septic tank effluent, unless the system is designed by a 
sanitary engineer (registered with the State of New Hampshire) and 
overcomes the adverse land conditions to the satisfaction of the Board. 
 
13.3.6. Building Sites where the natural slope of the land on which a 
building (any structure for which a building permit is normally 
required) is to be constructed is of fifteen percent slope or greater, 
engineering data shall be submitted to show that the proposed structure 
is of sound engineering design and footings shall be designed to extend 
to stable soil or rock. 
 
13.4. ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT. Prior to issuance of a permit, the applicant 
may be required to post a bond or surety satisfactory to the Town 
Selectmen and Town Counsel if construction is to take place in any area 
covered by this ordinance. 
 
13.5. ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES. The Town of Harrisville or its agents 
have the right to inspect the premises at any time during construction 
to assure that building and site construction is being carried out 
according to the approved engineering plans as submitted to the agent 
of the Selectmen for the purposes of obtaining the building permit. If 
construction does not proceed according to these plans (with minor 
allowances made for adjustments to previously unknown natural conditions 
where the overall effect remains the same or is improved) the owner will 
be liable for a fine of up to five-hundred (500) dollars for each 
violation or deviation from the plan and be required to cease and desist 
until such violations and or deviations are corrected. 
 
13.6. TOWN LIABILITY. In any case where changes in topography alter the 
course of water flow, normal or excessive, so as to cause damage to 
neighboring properties or those downstream, the petitioner for use of 
steep slopes shall assume all liability for such damage. Even though his 
plan has been approved by the Harrisville Board of Selectmen, the Town 
of Harrisville shall be held harmless from any claims for damage 
resulting from his actions.