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

Town of Ashford’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, and other work inside Ashford that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code.

  • Exemptions include specified one-story detached accessory structures of no more than 100 square feet, temporary sets and scenery, and certain repairs that do not affect fire or life safety.
  • parameters are not a substitute for the full exemption list in Local Law 2 of 2022, §4(b).

  accessory detached-structure exemption threshold: <= 100 square feet (One-story detached structures associated with qualifying dwellings and used for tool or storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses.)

  “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, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction work inside Ashford.

  • Only the elements marked for inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer must be inspected.
  • Remote inspection may replace in-person inspection when the authorized official determines that it can be performed to the same level and quality; otherwise an in-person inspection is required.

  “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 to another use or occupancy classification inside Ashford.

  • A Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance is required.
  • A building may be used or occupied only after the certificate is issued.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized Inspector must inspect before issuance.

  “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.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Ashford.

  • Applications must be written and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • The application must contain information sufficient for the Code Enforcement Officer to determine compliance with applicable Uniform Code and Energy Code requirements.
  • Work may not begin unless a permit is issued.

  “Applications for a Building Permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Ashford

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Ashford where municipal sanitary service is unavailable.

  • The Town plan identifies county local regulation for communities without municipal sanitary service.

  “The Cattaraugus County Department of Health provides local regulation for communities that do not have municipal sanitary service.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Developments using private sewage systems inside Ashford.

  • The applicable system must use a valid permit to construct issued by the Cattaraugus County Health Department.
  • The Town plan states that developments using private sewage systems must comply with the Cattaraugus County Utilities Ordinance.

  “All onsite wastewater treatment system repairs or installations in Cattaraugus County require a permit issued by the Environmental Health Division prior to construction.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Ashford where municipal sanitary service is unavailable.

  • The Town plan identifies county rules governing inspection, but the opened official materials do not specify inspection triggers, stages, or frequency.

  “Once the system is constructed, the inspector will visit the site again to inspect the work before it is covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-plumbing sanitation systems inside Ashford where municipal sanitary service is unavailable.

  • Cattaraugus County rules govern siting, design, installation, inspection, and management.

  “The County has adopted rules for the proper siting, design, installation, inspection and management of private sewage systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Ashford.

  • Ashford's comprehensive plan says development in Town is required to follow the Cattaraugus County Subdivision Ordinance.
  • The opened Town plan says divisions producing parcels of less than 35 acres require submission and County approval of certified survey maps.

  land-division threshold: < 35 acres (Divisions resulting in parcels below this threshold require certified survey map submission and County approval according to the Town plan.)

  “Ashford utilizes the Cattaraugus County subdivision ordinance. As such, all divisions of land resulting in parcels of less than 35 acres require submittal and approval of certified survey maps (CSM) to the County.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner construction of a dwelling inside Ashford.
• Local zoning — Land inside the Town of Ashford, Cattaraugus County, New York.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Ashford.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Ashford.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Ashford.

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.