Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Lakewood, New York

Village of Lakewood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Zoning permit (the code treats 'building permit' as 'zoning permit') for erecting, altering, enlarging, moving or demolishing a structure, or occupying a structure or land, inside Lakewood village

  • except as specifically exempted
  • some uses require no permit (e.g. fences, private parking, private horticulture)
  • state building-code permit requirements not separately verified

  “the regulations of this local law shall apply and shall require a zoning permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Structures inside Lakewood village; village zoning requires compliance with the NYS Uniform Fire and Building Code

  • where applicable
  • fire and building code enforcement officer is sent copies of all zoning permits

  “no structure shall be erected, altered or used unless it complies, where applicable, with the new york state uniform fire and building code.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Development in the special flood hazard area inside Lakewood village (certificate of compliance)

  • appears in the floodplain administration provisions; general certificate of occupancy rule not found

  “it shall be unlawful to use or occupy or to permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises, or both or part thereof, hereafter created, erected, changed, converted or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of compliance has been issued by the local administrator”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Lakewood village, Chautauqua County, NY

  • Districts: R1, R2, R3, B1, B2, B-2.1 overlay, L1, FP (floodplain)
  • Chapter amended through November 24, 2025

  “this local law shall be known and cited as the "zoning law of the village of lakewood."”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Lakewood village

  • B-2.1 auto sales/adult stores overlay; L1 light industrial; FP floodplain overlay

  “§ 25-10. single-family residential (r1) district. § 25-11. multiple-family (r2) district. § 25-12. mobile residential (r3) district.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Detached single-family dwelling in the R1 Single-Family Residential district inside Lakewood village

  • R1 table text is garbled in the PDF extraction; 1,000 sq ft is the only floor-space figure in the single-family row
  • exceptions for existing substandard lots in Article V

  minimum floor space, R1 detached single-family: >= 1000 sq ft

  “8 8 25 8 8 30 8 12 1,000 --- duplex primary accessory use use 80 + 8”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Detached single-family dwelling in the R1 district inside Lakewood village (minimum lot width; no minimum lot area found)

  • R2 and R3 also show 75 ft minimum lot width for detached single-family

  minimum lot width: >= 75 feet (existing substandard lots exceptions)

  “detached single-family units primary accessory minimum lot width 75 ---(feet) maximum lot cover 30% --(percent of lot area) minimum front yard 25 25”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Detached single-family dwelling in the R1 district inside Lakewood village (front yard confirmed; side and rear garbled in source text)

  • side yard has a footnote about buildings over 150 sq ft
  • exceptions in Article V

  minimum front yard (primary): >= 25 feet from right-of-way

  “detached single-family units primary accessory minimum lot width 75 ---(feet) maximum lot cover 30% --(percent of lot area) minimum front yard 25 25”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R1 district inside Lakewood village

  • R2 and R3 allow 40%

  maximum lot cover: <= 30 percent of lot area

  “detached single-family units primary accessory minimum lot width 75 ---(feet) maximum lot cover 30% --(percent of lot area) minimum front yard 25 25”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Temporary occupancy of travel trailers/motor homes (temporary dwelling units) by non-renters in R1, R2, R3, B1, B2, I1 districts inside Lakewood village

  • lot must contain an inhabited principal dwelling unit
  • uninhabited storage allowed on any lot indefinitely
  • longer inhabitation requires a special use permit

  maximum inhabitation: 14 days per 2 months (special use permit for more days)

  “no permit or fee is required unless the number of inhabitation days desired is greater than that specified, in which case a special use permit must be requested.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Lakewood village; separate Mobile Residential (R3) district and mobile home parks section

  • mobile homes are not treated as single-family units
  • mobile home parks regulated under § 25-61

  “for the purpose of this local law "mobile homes" are listed separately as allowed uses and are not considered to be single-family units.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments in existing single-family dwellings inside Lakewood village

  • no more than one unit per dwelling unit in districts where multiple units are not allowed
  • sufficient off-street parking
  • no visible signs of an apartment
  • accessory building may not be utilized
  • resultant primary dwelling must meet area requirements such as minimum floor space

  minimum apartment floor space: >= 750 sq ft

  “a secondary apartment developed in an existing single family dwelling which meets the following conditions: no more than one (1) unit shall be created per dwelling unit in districts where multiple units are not allowed, the apartment shall be a minimum of seven hundred fifty (750) square feet in floor space”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Lakewood village

  • improved lots may not be divided unless all resulting lots conform to bulk regulations
  • only one principal detached dwelling per parcel

  “state and existing local subdivision laws must be complied with in addition to this zoning law.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in any area of special flood hazard (Floodplain FP district) inside Lakewood village

  • applications on forms from the code enforcement officer
  • certificate of compliance required after completion

  “a flood development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside Lakewood village (§ 25-35.1)

  • special use permit required
  • application needs owner list, full-time resident list, consent to inspection, compliance statement
  • permit revocable after 3 verified violations in 12 months

  “the required str special use permit application fee, as established by the village board in the short-term rental schedule of fees and penalties.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning permit fees inside Lakewood village

  • STR fees are in a separate village-board short-term rental schedule

  “§ 25-71. schedule of fees. the schedule of fees shall be as follows: 76 use single-family homes, seasonal homes duplex”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning permit decisions inside Lakewood village

  • decision form must state the project, the unmet code section and alternatives

  decision deadline: <= 30 days

  “all decisions to grant or deny a zoning permit shall be made in writing within thirty (30) days from the time that the completed permit form is submitted along with full payment of the required fee.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Lakewood or Chautauqua County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Lakewood village
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Lakewood village
• Building height — R1 district inside Lakewood village
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Lakewood village
• Who permits septic — Septic systems inside Lakewood village

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.