From What I've seem here in New England, Maine is the least stringent, In many cases no building permit required at all. R.I and eastern Mass. is a nightmare. Where I am building here in Ct. there is a permit process but no engeneering or log grading required for residential aplications. Thier biggest concern is the ceptic and well. Things are a lot tougher in coastal areas and mill towns. Where I live now in Sterling Ct. there arent any zonning laws in place yet. As a general rule the more rural the location the less stringent it will be, but that isn't always the case. Bottom line is you will need to do a little research. Most towns have info on web that include "mission Statements" and demographic makeup of town.This will tell alot about political environment.
Stu