Driveway Permits
Driveway permits are issued for new construction and for improvements to existing driveways--such as paving any existing gravel/earth driveway, or resurfacing an existing paved driveway or access. The intention of the driveway permit is to ensure proper drainage from the private driveway access to the public right-of-way on City accepted streets. The fee for a driveway permit is $35.
Approval by Planning Department Required
Modifications to driveways for the following must be approved by the Planning Department prior to issuance of a driveway permit by Public Works:
- Any modification to an existing single family residence when the driveway will be greater than 1,500 square feet
- Converting green space to a paved surface when the conversion is between 100 and 1,500 square feet.
- For dwellings that have greater than two units
- Any commercial establishment
Removal of Existing Curbing
Any driveway modification proposing the removal of existing curbing will require a site inspection and prior approval of the Department of Public Works before the issuance of a permit. The homeowner or the contractor normally obtains the driveway permit. A representative from the Dept. of Public Works must inspect the work while the contractor is performing the work. Therefore the homeowner/contractor must schedule the inspection a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
State (New Hampshire Department of Transportation ) Roads
If you plan to connect a driveway to a State (NH DOT) road, do not fill out a City of Laconia Driveway Permit. Instead contact District 3 of the NH DOT at (603)271-3734.
State (NH DOT) roads within Laconia include:
- Belmont Road (South of the intersection with Grant St.)
- Endicott Streets North and East (all)
- Meredith Center Road (all)
- Parade Road (North of Lexington St.)
- Province Road (South of the intersection with Housell Ave.)
Private Developments / Roads
When connecting a driveway to a private road, the driveway permit application is used to confirm that the City’s greenspace requirement is met. The entity that owns the private road (typically a Home Owners’ Association) regulates the driveway’s specifications
Greenspace
Greenspace, the undeveloped portion of a parcel of land, is important because it allows water to infiltrate into the soil. The City's tax maps have links to property records that can be used to determine the percentage of greenspace on a given parcel. The Planning Department requires a minimum percentage of greenspace according to zoning district as shown in the table below.
Zoning District | Minimum Greenspace Required (%) | ||
Residential Use | Non-Residential Use | ||
Rural Residential 1 | RR1 | 65 | 65 |
Rural Residential 2 | RR2 | 65 | 65 |
Residential Single Family | RS | 60 | 60 |
Shorefront Residential | SFR | 65 | 65 |
Residential General | RG | 60 | 60 |
Residential Apartment | RA | 60 | 60 |
Professional | P | 25 | 20 |
Business Central | BC | 20 | 0 |
Commercial Resort | CR | 60 | 25 |
Commercial | C | 20 | 20 |
Business Central Industrial | BC/I | 20 | 20 |
Downtown Riverfront | DR | 25 | 25 |
Airport Industrial | AI | Not Apply | 20 |
Industrial Park | IP | Not Apply | 20 |
Industrial | I | Not Apply | 20 |
Resources
City Driveway Policy (guidance for single family and duplex residential properties)
Axis Tax Maps (may be useful to draw a sketch)
Online Permit Applications
The DPW has also developed a permit to allow safe, temporary access to those parcels that are being logged or are under construction. The Temporary Logging/Construction Permit still requires compliance with current zoning regulations and city policies. If you have questions about which permit you require, call us at 528-6379.
Apply for a Temporary Logging/Construction Driveway Permit
.