Building permits, zoning and land rules in Cattaraugus County, New York

Yes. New York's Uniform Code applies in Cattaraugus County, and work subject to that code requires a building permit, with limited exceptions¹. The town, city or village where the property sits generally administers code enforcement and issues the permit^1,2. Start by identifying the municipality, then use the county's directory to locate its officials⁶. Permit holders must leave covered work accessible until the municipality inspects and accepts it¹. A certificate of occupancy or compliance is required for permitted work and for a change in general occupancy classification¹. Ask local code enforcement which application, plans, fees and exceptions apply before ordering materials.

The applicable town, city or village generally issues the building permit for a Cattaraugus County parcel^1,2. The county's online Directory of Federal, State, County, City, Town & Village Officials is the practical starting point for finding the correct municipal contact⁶. Cattaraugus County's Planning Division supports municipalities with land use, comprehensive planning, zoning, mapping, infrastructure and design guidance⁷. The Planning Division can be reached at (716) 938-2387 at 207 Rock City St., 2nd Floor, Little Valley, NY 14755⁷. Bring the parcel's tax-map number and proposed use when you call so the municipality can identify the zoning district, permit path, fees and required submissions.

The municipality does not take over septic: the Environmental Health Division issues septic permits and inspections throughout Cattaraugus County, and the county does not issue the town's building permit in its place³.

New York gives general zoning authority to cities, towns and villages rather than counties, so a Cattaraugus County parcel's zoning rules come from its municipality^2,8. Local zoning and land-use rules vary across the county's municipalities, and the municipal board with jurisdiction decides the application². Some qualifying municipal actions also require County Planning Board referral, but the municipal board makes the final decision². Subdivision review likewise depends on local authorization and procedure, while county Health Department engineering review may apply to water and wastewater plans even though the department does not issue a subdivision permit^9,10. Confirm the municipality, zoning district, setbacks and lot standards before treating a rural listing as buildable.

Every onsite wastewater installation or repair in Cattaraugus County needs an Environmental Health Division permit before construction³. The owner or contractor submits the application with payment; an inspector investigates the site, evaluates soil and percolation, designs the system under current state standards and issues the construction permit³. Plan-review fees are $80 for a system under 1,000 gallons per day and $160 for a system at or above that design flow¹¹. After construction, the system must be inspected before backfill, and satisfactory work receives a permit to operate^3,12. Where public wastewater treatment is available and accessible, a new onsite system is prohibited except for a temporary construction privy, and the department may direct an existing system to connect¹². Only about 0.6% of county soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field, so make septic feasibility an early purchase contingency¹³.

We could not confirm one countywide rule for living in an RV, camping on private land or occupying a tiny home in Cattaraugus County. Ask the town, city or village governing the parcel about those uses and any minimum dwelling size because zoning is municipal^2,8. The county's campground rules do not answer private RV living: they apply when at least five campsites are offered to the public and occupied for at least 60 hours per year, triggering inspection, plan review and a permit to operate¹⁴. A tiny home used as a dwelling does not automatically escape the building process; work covered by the Uniform Code requires a permit, and permitted work requires a certificate of occupancy or compliance¹. New York does not license home-improvement contractors statewide, but that does not create an exemption from building permits, inspections or local trade licensing⁵.

1. Identify the parcel's town, city or village, because that municipality generally handles building permits and local zoning².
2. Find the municipal contact through the county officials directory and confirm the zoning district, allowed use, application, fees and plans required⁶.
3. Contact Environmental Health for the septic application and site investigation; the owner or contractor submits the application with payment before the inspector designs and permits the system³.
4. Plan the water source. The Health Department does not issue a private-well permit, but a new residential source is included in the building permit and local code enforcement checks state standards⁴.
5. Submit the building-permit application and keep covered work exposed for required inspections¹.
6. Have the septic system inspected before backfill and obtain the required occupancy or compliance certificate before moving in^1,12.

Check municipal zoning, legal access, septic feasibility, water and the building site before closing. About 77.1% of Cattaraugus County is wooded and about 69% is at a slope of 15% or less, but parcel conditions can differ sharply from county averages¹³. Only about 0.6% of mapped soils avoid severe drain-field limitations, so obtain an Environmental Health site evaluation early^3,13. A private-use well needs no Health Department permit, although a new residential source falls within the building permit and must meet state standards enforced locally⁴. For a proposed subdivision, ask both the municipality about plat approval and Environmental Health about engineering review of water and wastewater plans^9,10. We could not confirm a countywide driveway or floodplain-development rule; ask the municipality and road owner which approvals apply. The effective property-tax rate is about 2.7%, with a median annual bill of about $2,946¹³.