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

Town of Throop’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures erected, constructed, extended, or moved, and changes in land use or building occupancy, inside Throop.

  • Exemptions include listed nonstructural maintenance, painting, clearing woodlands, tilling soil, raising animals in the Agricultural District, fences, terraces, landscaping, listed small features, and storage sheds of 144 square feet or less.
  • Existing-building alterations are exempt only if they cost less than $10,000 and meet every stated nonstructural and safety-system limitation.
  • Permits have a one-year life and expire if work is not commenced within 90 days after issuance.

  small storage-shed exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (Still must conform to applicable Town flood-hazard and State Uniform Code requirements.) · alteration exemption project-cost threshold: < 10000 USD (Also requires all listed nonstructural and fire/electrical/heating limitations.)

  “No structure shall be erected, constructed, extended, or moved [...] until a Zoning Permit and a Building Permit have been secured”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction inside Throop that requires a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance.

  • Inspections occur during construction at times permitting observation of the listed building systems and features.

  “Inspections shall be required on all construction that requires a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work requiring a building permit and buildings converted between general occupancy classifications inside Throop.

  • The Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance cannot issue until all inspections are made and construction or changed use meets Town, State, County, and Federal requirements.

  “No land shall be used or occupied [...] until a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance has been issued”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Throop, Cayuga County, New York.

  • The Town Zoning Law was enacted by the Town Board and is effective immediately as of July 26, 2023.

  “Article V. Regulations Applicable to All Zoning Districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Throop.

  • District regulations remain subject to further provisions of the Zoning Law.

  zoning districts listed in current dimensional table: A, R1, R2, C, O (A= Agricultural; R1=Low Density Residential; R2=Medium Density Residential; C=Commercial; O=Owasco River Protection.)

  “The regulations for each district [...] shall be as specified in this Section”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles outside a designated recreational-vehicle park inside Throop.

  • One RV on the same lot as a dwelling may be temporary lodging for no more than two separate periods per year, each no longer than three weeks.
  • On a vacant lot, a temporary Code Enforcement Officer permit may allow occupancy for up to six months per calendar year; applicant must provide garbage, wastewater, and sewage removal plans.
  • RV rentals for on-premises habitation are prohibited.

  occupied RV on lot with dwelling maximum period: <= 3 weeks (No more than two separate periods per year.) · vacant-lot RV occupancy maximum period: <= 6 months per calendar year (Temporary permit and stated waste-management plans required.)

  “Recreational vehicles located outside of a designated recreational vehicle park may be occupied only as follows”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Throop where the zoning use table permits them by Special Use Permit.

  • The unit must be subordinate to the principal dwelling, no larger than 1,500 square feet, with no more than two bedrooms and no more than one ADU per lot.
  • The unit must use common water and septic facilities unless Cayuga County Health Department approves otherwise.
  • The unit must comply with applicable local, State, and Federal requirements including the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.

  ADU maximum floor area: <= 1500 square feet · ADUs per lot: <= 1 ADU · ADU maximum bedrooms: <= 2 bedrooms

  “The accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed a maximum of fifteen hundred (1,500) square feet.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Specified agricultural and minor work inside Throop.

  • The listed activities remain subject to the Zoning Law, Flood Hazard Regulations, and State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
  • The exemption includes raising animals only in the Agricultural Zoning District.

  small storage-shed exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (Must still conform to the listed laws and regulations.)

  “raising animals in the Agricultural Zoning District [...] small storage sheds one hundred and forty-four (144) square feet or less”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of parcels inside Throop.

  • Planning Board approval is prescribed through the Town of Throop Subdivision Regulations.

  “Receive and refer applications for Special Use Permits, Site Plans, and Subdivisions to the Planning Board for their review and approval”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction in National Flood Insurance Program-designated flood-hazard locations inside Throop.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer acts as Floodplain Administrator and must determine whether proposed development minimizes flood damage.
  • Construction must meet all six listed design, material, drainage, utility, and survey requirements.

  “The Code Enforcement Officer, in reviewing all applications for construction in flood hazard locations within the Town, shall require that any such proposed construction shall”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals in zoning districts where the Town use table allows them subject to special conditions.

  • The Town Clerk maintains the rental-property registry using the Town Board-adopted registration form.
  • There is an annual registration fee set by Town Board fee schedule.
  • Nonresident owners must designate an agent who can respond to public complaints within 30 minutes.
  • Owner or agent contact information must be posted inside the home in durable, readable form accessible to first responders.

  complaint-response time: <= 30 minutes (Applies to owner or designated agent response after notice to the contact telephone number.)

  “It shall be the obligation of every owner of a residential property in the Town who permits the property to be used for short-term rental to register said property with the Town Clerk.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town Zoning Permit applications inside Throop.

  • The fee is set by official Town fee schedule and may be amended by Town Board resolution.
  • All fees are non-refundable.

  “The Town Board may, from time to time, amend the fee schedule, by a resolution of such Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town Zoning and Building Permit applications inside Throop.

  • Applications must be in writing by owner or authorized agent on the Town form and filed by the Code Enforcement Officer in the Town Clerk's office.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer determines application completeness.
  • Complete applications are granted or refused within 15 business days except as otherwise provided in the Zoning Law.

  decision time after completed application: <= 15 business days (Except as otherwise provided in the Zoning Law.)

  “Zoning Permits and Building Permits shall be granted or refused within fifteen (15) business days after the completed written application has been filed”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Throop

Town of Throop 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)

  Single- or two-family dwellings in the Agricultural Zoning District (A) inside Throop.

  • Subject to further provisions of the Zoning Law.

  minimum lot size: >= 65340 square feet (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).)

  “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 65,340 | 200 | 75 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 10% | 20%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single- or two-family dwellings in the Low Density Residential Zoning District (R1) inside Throop.

    “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 32,670 | 100 | 75 | 15 | 15 | 35 | 20% | 40%”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single- or two-family dwellings in the Agricultural Zoning District (A) inside Throop.

  • Subject to further provisions of the Zoning Law.

  minimum front setback: >= 75 feet (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).) · minimum side setback: >= 30 feet (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).) · minimum rear setback: >= 30 feet (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).)

  “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 65,340 | 200 | 75 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 10% | 20%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single- or two-family dwellings in the Low Density Residential Zoning District (R1) inside Throop.

    “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 32,670 | 100 | 75 | 15 | 15 | 35 | 20% | 40%”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single- or two-family dwellings in the Agricultural Zoning District (A) inside Throop.

  • Subject to further provisions of the Zoning Law.

  maximum building coverage: <= 10 percent (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).)

  “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 65,340 | 200 | 75 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 10% | 20%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single- or two-family dwellings in the Low Density Residential Zoning District (R1) inside Throop.

    “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 32,670 | 100 | 75 | 15 | 15 | 35 | 20% | 40%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single- or two-family dwellings in the Agricultural Zoning District (A) inside Throop.

  • Subject to further provisions of the Zoning Law.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Single- or two-family dwelling in Agricultural Zoning District (A).)

  “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 65,340 | 200 | 75 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 10% | 20%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single- or two-family dwellings in the Low Density Residential Zoning District (R1) inside Throop.

    “Single or Two Family Dwelling | 32,670 | 100 | 75 | 15 | 15 | 35 | 20% | 40%”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage or waste disposal, changed use or alteration increasing bedroom count or waste volume, or new or modified water supply inside Throop.

  • Town permits for the described work cannot issue until the Cayuga County Health Department issues a certificate of approval.

  “shall not be issued until a certificate of approval has been issued by the Cayuga County Health Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage systems connected to a Throop building-permit application.

  • A Health Permit must be filed before the Town permit is issued.

  “*If private, you must file for a Health Permit before Permit is issued.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site sewage or waste disposal associated with new uses or construction inside Throop.

  • A Cayuga County Health Department certificate of approval is required before the Town may issue the permit for the described work.

  “A permit for any new use or construction which will involve the on-site disposal of sewage or waste [...] shall not be issued until a certificate of approval has been issued”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Throop.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Throop.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping not involving recreational-vehicle habitation on private land inside Throop.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Throop.
• Septic inspection — On-site wastewater systems inside Throop.

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.