Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Rensselaerville, New York

Town of Rensselaerville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside the Town that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • Listed exemptions include temporary motion-picture/television/theater sets, certain awnings, finish work, like-for-like equipment replacement, and specified repairs without fire/life-safety impact.

  “Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b) of this section, a Building Permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  All buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Rensselaerville.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or the local law.

  “This local law provides for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) in this Town.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building-permitted construction in the Town of Rensselaerville.

  • Only applicable listed construction elements are inspected; remote inspection may replace in-person inspection at the officer's or authorized inspector's discretion.

  “Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Code Enforcement Officer or by an Inspector authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a building permit and structures converted between use or occupancy classifications inside the Town.

  • A Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance is required; issuance follows inspection and compliance with applicable Uniform and Energy Code provisions.

  “A Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a Building Permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel-trailer and recreational-vehicle dwelling use inside the Town.

  • Temporary basis means occupancy for no more than 60 consecutive days and no more than 120 days per calendar year.

  maximum consecutive occupancy: <= 60 days · maximum annual occupancy: <= 120 days per calendar year

  “Travel trailers/Recreation vehicles are prohibited as a dwelling unit other than on a temporary basis. For purposes of this section, a temporary basis means use or occupancy for no more than 60 consecutive days and no more than 120 days per calendar year.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Water supply and sewage disposal facilities inside the Town.

  • Town zoning requires compliance with Town, Albany County Department of Health, NYS Department of Health, and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation requirements.

  “Adequate water supply and sewage disposal facilities shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Town of Rensselaerville, Albany County Department of Health, and the New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots created inside the Town after the effective date of the Town's subdivision regulations.

  • A qualifying lot must be included in a Planning Board-approved plat filed with the County Clerk, unless exempt from or predating the regulations.

  “No zoning permit or building permit shall be issued for any use or structure on any lot for which a deed has been filed in the Office of the County Clerk after the effective date of the Town of Rensselaerville Subdivision Regulations, unless such lot is included in a plat which has been approved by the Planning Board, and has been filed with the Office of the County Clerk, or unless such lot was exempt from or preceded said regulations at the time of lot creation.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New, expanded, or altered driveways connecting to Town public roads inside the Town's jurisdiction.

  • Construction may not begin until the Superintendent issues the permit and the applicant pays the required fee.

  “No party shall construct a new Driveway, expand an existing Driveway or alter an existing Driveway without first obtaining a Driveway Permit from the Superintendent as herein provided.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Site preparation or construction in any FEMA-designated 100-year floodplain inside the Town.

  • An erosion and sedimentation control plan must be approved by the Planning Board or Zoning Enforcement Officer; agricultural crop/pasture land-clearing activities are excepted from the encompassing provision.

  “Site preparation or construction within any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a one hundred (100) year floodplain.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building/code-enforcement, planning/zoning, and highway permits.

  • Amounts shown are from the Town's 2024 fee schedule; individual categories and fees differ.

  building permit fee: $50 + $0.30/SF USD · new CO with permit: 50 USD · new driveway installation: $350 + cost of pipe USD (new culvert)

  “Building Permit $50 + $ .30/SF Bldg. WITHOUT Permit $250.00 Bldg. Permit Renewal 50% or original CO w/permit - NEW $50.00”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Rensselaerville

Town of Rensselaerville does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in the Town's Resource Conservation 1 (RC1) district.

  • District-specific; road-frontage, yard, lot-coverage, and other zoning requirements also apply.

  minimum lot area: 15 acres (one-family dwelling in RC1)

  “One-Family Dwelling 15 acres 35’ 300’ 300’ 75’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 20%”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in the Town's Resource Conservation 1 (RC1) district.

  • Values are shown in schedule order for County/State-road frontage, Private/Town-road frontage, County/State-road front yard, Private/Town-road front yard, side yard, and rear yard.

  County/State-road front yard: 75 feet (one-family dwelling in RC1) · Private/Town-road front yard: 50 feet (one-family dwelling in RC1) · side yard: 50 feet (one-family dwelling in RC1) · rear yard: 50 feet (one-family dwelling in RC1)

  “One-Family Dwelling 15 acres 35’ 300’ 300’ 75’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 20%”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in the Town's Resource Conservation 1 (RC1) district.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent (one-family dwelling in RC1)

  “One-Family Dwelling 15 acres 35’ 300’ 300’ 75’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 20%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in the Town's Resource Conservation 1 (RC1) district.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (one-family dwelling in RC1)

  “One-Family Dwelling 15 acres 35’ 300’ 300’ 75’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 20%”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Rensselaerville or Albany County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.