Bolthole Index

Chemung County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Elmira Heights, New York

The Village of Elmira Heights, New York requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the village issues it1. Zoning is the village's own, under Chapter 220 of its code2. Septic permits are a Chemung County Health Department matter3, and we could not confirm how that applies to addresses inside the village.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the Uniform Code; issued by the village1
Zoning
Village zoning, Chapter 220, with seven districts24
R-1 lot (single-family)
7,500 sq ft minimum, 75 ft wide, 100 ft deep5
R-1 yards
30 ft front, 25 ft rear, 10 ft each side6
Septic
Chemung County Health Department construction permit; village-specific rule unconfirmed37
Driveway / curb cut
Village permit from the Superintendent of Public Works8
RV or tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the village code officer9

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Elmira Heights Building and Code Enforcement Department

Building permits, building construction, fire inspections, property maintenance, and zoning-code enforcement inside the village

(607) 734-7156

[email protected]

215 Elmwood Avenue, Elmira, NY, 14903

Septic permits

Chemung County Health Department, Environmental Health Services

Septic (individual sewage treatment system) construction permits, site evaluations and inspections for Chemung County

(607) 737-2019

[email protected]

103 Washington Street, Elmira, NY 14902

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Elmira Heights means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Elmira Heights, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Elmira Heights adopted its own zoning in 1971, now Chapter 220 of the village code, and it applies to land inside the village2. The village is divided into seven zoning districts shown on its zoning map4. Chemung County does not write zoning for the village; each Chemung County municipality sets its own districts and standards10.

District matters. For a single-family dwelling in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District, the minimum lot is 7,500 square feet, 75 feet wide and 100 feet deep5. Required yards in R-1 are 30 feet in front, 25 feet in the rear and 10 feet on each side6. Buildings may cover at most 35 percent of an R-1 lot11, and a principal building may rise 2 1/2 stories or 30 feet12. Other districts have different numbers, so check the zoning map for the parcel first.

Do you need a building permit in Elmira Heights, and who issues it?

Yes. A building permit is required in Elmira Heights for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or the Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition of a building or structure1. The village administers the state code itself13, so the permit comes from the village, not from Chemung County.

The village lists exemptions, including some detached sheds under 144 square feet1. Permitted work is inspected and must stay exposed until inspected14, and a certificate of occupancy is required for work done under a building permit15. Permit fees are set by the Board of Trustees and are due when the application is submitted16.

The Building and Code Enforcement Department handles permits, and the village asks for 5 business days to process an application9.

How do septic permits work inside Elmira Heights?

Chemung County, not the village, runs septic permitting. The county Sanitary Code requires a construction permit from the Chemung County Health Department before anyone builds a private sewage treatment system to serve a building, dwelling or premises3. Systems must be designed by a licensed design professional17.

We could not confirm a rule that speaks specifically to septic systems inside the village, and we did not find an official page saying whether a given village address is on public sewer. Ask Chemung County Environmental Health Services whether a parcel can or must use a septic system18. Where the village does review private sanitary disposal for development, its Zoning Board of Appeals determines whether the facilities are adequate19.

A homeowner building their own system can claim an exemption from contractor registration, but the construction permit is still required20.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Elmira Heights?

We could not confirm it. We found no village provision on living in a recreational vehicle on private land, on temporary camping, or on tiny homes in Chapter 2202 or the village building chapter13. A missing provision is not permission: Chapter 220 sets use rules district by district2. Before parking an RV or placing a tiny home on a village lot, ask the Building and Code Enforcement Department in writing which district the parcel is in and whether the use is allowed9.

New York's statewide campground rules cover state-run campgrounds, not a private lot, so they do not answer the question.

Building a home in Elmira Heights: the steps, in order

  1. Find the parcel's zoning district on the village zoning map and check lot size, yards, coverage and height4.
  2. Ask Chemung County Environmental Health Services about sewer or septic for the address before you commit18.
  3. Apply for a building permit from the village Building and Code Enforcement Department1; call first for the application and its supporting documents9.
  4. If the lot touches a mapped flood hazard area, a village floodplain development permit is also required21.
  5. Get a village permit from the Superintendent of Public Works for any new curb cut or driveway ramp8.
  6. Keep work exposed for inspection at each stage14.
  7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in15.

What stays with Chemung County, and what to check before you buy in Elmira Heights

Septic permits and subdivision health review stay with the county. The Chemung County Health Department also reviews realty subdivisions22. A driveway that connects to a county road needs a Chemung County Highway Permit23, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a NYS Department of Transportation permit24. Inside the village, curb cuts are limited to two driveways per residential frontage and need 22 feet between cuts on one lot8.

For land outside village limits, use the Chemung County page. Chemung County's effective property tax rate is 2.5 percent25, with a median bill of $3,332 a year26. Chemung County's typical home value is $164,31827.

Watch-outs

  • Septic rules for addresses inside the village are unconfirmed, so ask Chemung County Environmental Health Services before relying on septic or sewer for a village lot18.
  • RV, tiny-home, accessory-dwelling and short-term-rental rules inside the village were not confirmed, so get the Building and Code Enforcement Department's answer in writing9.
  • Village zoning numbers differ by district, and the R-1 figures here do not apply to other districts5.
  • Owner-builder rules for the village's own building permits were not confirmed; the county owner exemption covers septic contractor registration only20.

Sources

  1. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 113: Building Code Administration (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 220: Zoning (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Elmira Heights Code, § 220-8: Names of districts (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Elmira Heights Zoning, Schedule II (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Elmira Heights Zoning, Schedule II (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  7. Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Elmira Heights Code, § 194-7: Curb cuts and driveways (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Elmira Heights Building and Code Enforcement Department (elmiraheights.gov)
  10. Chemung County Comprehensive Plan: Land Use Inventory, quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Elmira Heights Zoning, Schedule II (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Elmira Heights Zoning, Schedule II (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  13. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 113: Building Code Administration (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  14. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 113: Building Code Administration (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  15. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 113: Building Code Administration (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  16. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 113: Building Code Administration (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chemung County Sanitary Code, quoted and re-checked
  18. Chemung County Health Department, Environmental Health Services (chemungcountyny.gov)
  19. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Article IV: Basic District Regulations (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  20. New Sewage Treatment Systems - Owners, quoted and re-checked
  21. Village of Elmira Heights Code, Chapter 148: Flood Damage Prevention (Village of Elmira Heights), quoted and re-checked
  22. Realty Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  23. Permits, quoted and re-checked
  24. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Elmira Heights

Village of Elmira Heights’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in Elmira Heights village that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code, including residential construction.

    • Listed exemptions include certain detached sheds under 144 square feet, specified playground equipment, certain aboveground pools, non-pool fences, specified retaining walls, stage sets, specified awnings, low partitions, finish work, listed portable equipment, certain replacements, and repairs not involving the listed structural, egress, building-system, or fire-protection changes.
    • parameters:[{"name":"detached exempt structure gross floor area","value":144,"unit":"square feet","operator":"<","exception":"One-story detached tool/storage shed, playhouse, or similar structure associated with specified dwellings."}]
    • source_ids:[

    detached exempt structure gross floor area: < 144 square feet (One-story detached tool/storage shed, playhouse, or similar structure associated with specified dwellings.)

    “Building permits required. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection 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, and the installation of a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises in Elmira Heights village.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 113.
    “This chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) in this Village.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction in Elmira Heights village.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted; applicable inspections include site, foundation, slab preparation, framing, building systems, fire-resistance items, heating appliances, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.
    “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. The permit holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a building permit and conversions between use or occupancy classifications in Elmira Heights village.

    • Issuance requires compliance with applicable Uniform and Energy Code provisions and a pre-issuance inspection; structural-observation/special-inspection reports and flood-hazard certifications may also be required where applicable.
    “A certificate of occupancy/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.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Incorporated Village of Elmira Heights.

    • Chapter 220 is subject to subsequent amendments noted in the code history.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Elmira Heights 12-20-1971, as amended 7-25-1972. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside the Incorporated Village of Elmira Heights.

    • District locations and boundaries are shown on the village zoning map, which is part of Chapter 220.

    number of zoning districts: 7 districts

    “The Incorporated Village of Elmira Heights is divided into the following seven districts:”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sanitary-disposal facilities for development inside Elmira Heights village.

    • Facilities must be adequate and have sufficient capacity; where private facilities are proposed or adequacy is questioned, the Zoning Board of Appeals reviews pertinent facts and may require expert data.
    “Where private facilities are proposed or where the adequacy of the facilities is in question, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall review all the pertinent facts and make a determination of adequacy.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Curb cuts and driveway ramps for ingress or egress between private property and a public street or public place in Elmira Heights village.

    • Excludes work under contract with the village or by a duly authorized village officer or employee; written application is required. Maximum two driveways per residential-lot frontage, 22-foot minimum separation between curb cuts/ramps on the same lot, and a 20-foot corner-intersection restriction apply.

    maximum driveways per residential frontage: <= 2 driveways · minimum curb-cut separation: >= 22 feet (For the same lot.) · corner setback from intersection: >= 20 feet (Measured from street intersection or center of curved-corner lot line.)

    “No curb shall be cut nor any driveway ramp constructed or maintained for ingress or egress from private property on to a public street or other public place, except under a contract with the village or by a duly authorized village officer or employee acting in the course of his or her duties, without a permit issued by the Superintendent of Public Works upon written application containing the name and address of the applicant, the location of the driveway and any required curb cut, the width and slope of the ramp from the pavement elevation to the sidewalk area elevation and the name of the person for whom the proposed driveway is to be constructed if not the applicant.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village building-code permits and inspections.

    • Fees are set by the Board of Trustees; Chapter 113 requires payment at application submission or inspection as applicable.
    “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 113-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Elmira Heights

Village of Elmira Heights 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 sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District inside Elmira Heights village.

    • Schedule II applies to permitted uses only; it does not apply to special uses.

    minimum lot area: 7500 square feet · minimum lot width: 75 feet · minimum lot depth: 100 feet

    “Minimum lot size Area (square feet) 7,500 8,000 5,000 7,500 10,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 10,000 Width (feet) 75 75 50 75 100 50 50 50 100 Depth (feet) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District inside Elmira Heights village.

    • Schedule II applies to permitted uses only; special uses are governed by § 220-15.

    minimum front yard: 30 feet · minimum rear yard: 25 feet · minimum each side yard: 10 feet

    “Minimum yards (feet) Front yard 30 30 25 25 25 25 25 20 25 Rear yard 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 35 25 Each side yard 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District inside Elmira Heights village.

    • Schedule II applies to permitted uses only; special uses are excluded.

    maximum building coverage: 35 percent

    “Maximum building 35 40 40 40 50 100 60 60 60 coverage (percent)”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District inside Elmira Heights village.

    • Schedule II applies to permitted uses only; special uses are excluded.

    maximum principal-building stories: 2 1/2 stories · maximum principal-building height: 30 feet

    “Number of stories 2 1/2 2 1/2 2 1/2 2 1/2 3 3 3 2 4 Height in feet 30 30 30 30 35 35 35 30 40”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain development in areas of special flood hazard inside Elmira Heights village.

    • The local administrator reviews permit applications before issuing a floodplain development permit; no permit issues for development that may damage other property or fails Chapter 148 standards. Periodic construction inspections apply, and a certificate of compliance is required before occupancy in special flood-hazard areas.
    “It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 148-6, without a valid floodplain development permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential construction in Elmira Heights village.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District inside Elmira Heights village.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Elmira Heights village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Elmira Heights village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Elmira Heights village.
8 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Elmira Heights publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Chemung County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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