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

Town of Mooers’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, enlargements, use changes, and other listed work inside the Town of Mooers.

  • Applies except for exempt actions in §110(B) and §110(C).
  • Interior structural alterations or routine maintenance that does not expand exterior dimensions and is below the Town Board's periodically adjusted exempt amount does not require a building permit.

  new-structure threshold: >= 144 square feet (Construction of a new building or structure.)

  “A Zoning or Building Permit shall be required for any of the following actions.”

• InspectionsLimited

  The specifically listed exempt activities and emergency-services-number applications inside the Town of Mooers.

  • For exempt activities, inspection may be required to determine New York State Uniform Building Code compliance.
  • An emergency-services-number application requires a Code Officer inspection for verification but does not authorize construction.

  “An inspection will be completed by the Code Officer for verification.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, structures, and changed uses inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The Certificate of Occupancy must state that the building, structure, or proposed use complies with the zoning law.

  “No land shall be occupied or used and no building or structure hereafter used, or changes made in the use until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Mooers, Clinton County, New York.

  • Uses not listed as permitted may require a use variance or zoning-law amendment.

  “For the purpose of this law, the Town of Mooers is hereby divided into the following zones:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Mooers.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Town of Mooers Zoning Map, which is part of the law.
  • For a lot in two or more districts, each portion is governed by its district unless the ZBA grants special authorization after public hearing.

  “Said districts are bounded as shown on the Town of Mooers Zoning Map, which, with all explanatory matter, is hereby made part of this law.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings inside the Town of Mooers.

  • For any other dwelling, each unit's area is specified and approved through the Zoning Board approval process.

  minimum single-family dwelling ground area: >= 600 square feet

  “The minimum square footage for a single-family dwelling shall be six hundred (600) square feet in ground area.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  RVs on private land not in a legally established travel-trailer park or campground inside the Town of Mooers.

  • RV/camp structures cannot be permanent residences.
  • Maximum occupancy is 120 days per year in the listed camp/RV configurations.
  • Occasional RV use is limited to seven days at one time and 30 days per year, with no septic disposal.
  • Temporary construction use is one year, requires a ZBA variance and County Health Department approved septic system and leach field, and ends upon permit expiration or building occupancy, whichever occurs first.

  maximum occupancy: <= 120 days per year (Listed camp/RV configurations.)

  “Any unit in this section cannot be used as a permanent residence.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Private camps and RVs inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The camp/RV cannot be a permanent residence.
  • Only one such RV, travel trailer, or structure is allowed per lot.
  • The applicable dimensional chart controls unless the specific camp/RV section is more restrictive.

  camp structure height: <= 18 feet (Maximum one and one-half stories, from foundation to highest roof point.)

  “There shall be only one such recreational vehicle, travel trailer, etc. or structure per lot.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Privately owned structures under 600 square feet that are used as camps inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The unit may only be a temporary or occasional-use residence and may not be used as a permanent residence.
  • Other camp/RV requirements in §430 apply.

  structure size: < 600 square feet (Privately owned camp/RV structure category.)

  “Camps: RV’s or structures privately owned less than 600 sq feet to only be used as a temporary or occasional use residence.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured homes inside the Town of Mooers.

  • All mobile homes must comply with §415, meet HUD standards, be at least 12 feet wide, and have required skirting.
  • A mobile home may only be used as a single-family residence unless redesigned by an engineer according to the New York State Property Maintenance Code.
  • The permitted-use chart and district dimensional requirements apply.

  minimum mobile-home width: >= 12 feet

  “No mobile home shall be used for any purpose other than as a single-family residence, unless redesigned by an engineer according to New York State Property Maintenance Code.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Camps and RVs inside the Town of Mooers.

  • For camps/RVs more than 500 feet from the road, a septic system or privy is required and must be 100 feet from wetlands.
  • A privy is not allowed for camps/RVs less than 500 feet from the road.
  • A camp/RV on a property with a primary residence does not require septic system or privy under the listed conditions.

  wetland separation: >= 100 feet (Septic system or privy for camps/RVs more than 500 feet from edge of road.)

  “Camps or RV’s more than 500 feet from edge of road: 1. Septic system or privy is required.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of a parcel inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The Division of Property form must be completed and reviewed by the CEO; at the CEO's discretion it may be referred to the ZBA.
  • A charge may apply.

  “Division of any parcel of property will require the completion of a Division of Property form and a review by the CEO”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Each new building lot inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The lot must directly front on a road for the minimum required highway-frontage width or have a legally sufficient right-of-way easement for that width.
  • A property not bordering a public road needs a deeded 50-foot-wide right-of-way; no structure may be built within it.

  deeded right-of-way width: 50 feet (Property not bordering a public roadway.)

  “Each property not bordering a public roadway must have a deeded 50’ Wide Right of Way”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town zoning, construction, and related permits inside the Town of Mooers.

  • The published schedule is dated May 13, 2025.
  • Permit extensions are one-half the original permit cost.
  • Starting work before securing a permit is listed at $50 to $1,000.

  minimum fee: 25 USD · residential fee: per 0.2 USD per square foot (Includes residential-type garages, additions, sheds, and similar structures.)

  “Permit Fee Schedule (5/13/2025): Minimum Fee $25”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-permit applications inside the Town of Mooers.

  • A complete application is required for acceptance.
  • The CEO may waive the three-copy requirement.
  • The permit expires after one year, subject to the listed extension process.
  • A Town tax-map identification number is required before issuance.

  application plan copies: 3 copies (Unless waived by the CEO.) · permit term: 1 year (From date of issue.)

  “Applications for Zoning Permits shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer or Town Clerk and shall include three (3) copies (unless waived by the CEO)”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Mooers

Town of Mooers 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-family dwellings or individually sited mobile homes in RES, COM, GEN, and IND zones inside the Town of Mooers.

  • A new building lot must have public-road access or a legally sufficient right-of-way easement; a right-of-way area does not count toward minimum lot size.

  minimum lot size: >= 40000 square feet (Single-family dwelling or individually sited mobile home in RES, COM, GEN, or IND zones.)

  “A. Single Family Dwelling or Individually Sited Mobile Home ZONES Minimum lot size (square feet) 40,000”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings or individually sited mobile homes in C1, C2, and RM zones inside the Town of Mooers.

    “C1,C2, RM Zones A. Single Family Dwelling or Individually Sited Mobile Home Minimum lot size (square feet) 40,000”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings or individually sited mobile homes in RES, COM, GEN, and IND zones inside the Town of Mooers.

  highway-right-of-way setback: >= 35 feet (All public roads.) · side setback: >= 15 feet · rear setback: >= 15 feet

  “Minimum building setback from highway right-of-way of all public roads 35 Minimum building setback, each side (feet) 15 Minimum building setback, rear ( feet) 15”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings or individually sited mobile homes in RES, COM, GEN, and IND zones inside the Town of Mooers.

  maximum lot coverage by buildings: <= 30 percent of lot

  “Maximum lot coverage by buildings (percent of lot) 30”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings or individually sited mobile homes in RES, COM, GEN, and IND zones inside the Town of Mooers.

  • Height exceptions include churches, chimneys, flagpoles, farm structures, radio or television antennae, and electrical transmission towers and cables.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (Height exceptions in §340.)

  “Maximum lot coverage by buildings (percent of lot) 30 Maximum height of structures (feet) 35”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Residential structures and specified camps/RVs inside the Town of Mooers.

  • A residential structure must have a Clinton County Health Department approved septic system.
  • Additional camp/RV provisions vary by location from the road and whether the property has a primary residence.

  “Each residential structure shall have a well; and a Clinton County Health Department approved septic system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside the Town of Mooers.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town of Mooers.
• Septic permit — On-site wastewater systems inside the Town of Mooers.
• Septic inspection — On-site wastewater systems inside the Town of Mooers.
• Well permit — Private wells inside the Town of Mooers.

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.