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

Town of Genesee’s own rules

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Individual sewage disposal systems inside the Town of Genesee, which the Town identifies as located in Allegany County.

  • The county sanitary code is in force throughout the Allegany County Health District.
  • Municipalities may adopt additional consistent health and sanitation ordinances.

  “The Board of Health of Allegany County is hereby authorized and empowered to make and promulgate administrative rules and regulations necessary to enforce the New York State Public Health Law, the New York State Sanitary Code, and the Allegany County Sanitary Code. All applicable provisions of these Laws/Codes shall be in force throughout the Allegany County Health District.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, installation, connection, alteration, or extension of an individual sewage disposal system inside the Town of Genesee.

  • A written permit from the Public Health Director must be filed for and received before the work.
  • A separate permit is required for sewage-disposal work on each residence.
  • The installation must ordinarily be completed within one year, unless an extension is granted for good cause.
  • The Director may deny a permit if the application is incomplete or inaccurate or the regulations cannot be met.

  “No person shall construct, install, connect, alter, or extend an ISDS within the Allegany County Health District without having filed for and received a written permit to do so from the Public Health Director.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New, altered, or extended individual sewage disposal systems inside the Town of Genesee.

  • The owner or agent must request final inspection at least 48 hours before expected completion.
  • No portion may be covered or put into operation until inspected and approved.
  • The Director may make additional inspections during construction.
  • The system may not enter service until a Certificate of Construction Compliance is issued.

  final-inspection-request lead time: >= 48 hours

  “The owner or his agent shall request a final inspection of the ISDS at least 48 hours in advance of the expected time of completion of construction, installation, alteration, or extension of the system.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Non-waterborne individual sewage disposal systems inside the Town of Genesee where running water is unavailable or scarce or water conservation is needed.

  • The non-waterborne system must be acceptable under the current editions of 10 NYCRR Appendix 75-A or the NYSDOH Individual Residential Wastewater Treatment Systems Design Handbook.
  • A construction permit and inspection requirements apply.
  • Holding tanks are not allowed for long-term use on year-round residences; temporary use is limited to occupancy while an acceptable system is under construction.

  “Any of the accepted "non-waterborne" ISDS acceptable for use in areas where running water is not available or is too scarce to support the use of flush toilets, or where there is a need to conserve water, as identified in the current editions 10 NYCRR, Appendix 75-A or the NYSDOH "Individual Residential Wastewater Treatment Systems Design Handbook", which is based on 10 NYCRR.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building-code permit administration inside the Town of Genesee.

  • The Town's official page identifies M.A.C.E. as its Code Enforcement Officer and identifies the Office of Code Enforcement & Building Inspection.
  • The state Uniform Code requires permits for work that must conform to the Uniform Code, subject to permitted exceptions.

  “Code Enforcement Officer: M.A.C.E. – 585-628-1046 Office of Code Enforcement & Building Inspection 31 Main St. – PO Box 137 Belfast, NY 14711”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Genesee

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

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside the Town of Genesee that is required to conform to the New York Uniform Code.

  • Certain exceptions are permitted under the local code-enforcement program.
  • The Town's official page identifies an Office of Code Enforcement & Building Inspection.

  “Building permits must be required for any work which is required to conform to the Uniform Code. Certain exceptions are permitted.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside the Town of Genesee, except New York City.

  • The Uniform Code applies statewide except in New York City.
  • The Town's official page identifies a Code Enforcement Officer and Office of Code Enforcement & Building Inspection.

  “The Uniform Code is automatically in effect in each city, town, and village in the State (except New York City) by directive of the State Legislature.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction work inside the Town of Genesee.

  • The requirement covers specified elements of the construction process.
  • Permit holders must keep work accessible and exposed until it is inspected and accepted by the municipality.

  “Construction Inspections. Inspections of certain specified elements of the construction process must be required. Building permits holders must keep work accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the municipality.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside the Town of Genesee.
• Local zoning — Land inside the Town of Genesee, Allegany County, New York.
• Zoning districts — Land inside the Town of Genesee.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Genesee.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside the Town of Genesee.

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.