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

Town of Schuyler Falls’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Schuyler Falls, Clinton County, New York.

  • The zoning law includes the official zoning map.

  “The title of this law is the “Town of Schuyler Falls Zoning Law,” and shall include this text and the official zoning map.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • District boundaries are shown on the town zoning map incorporated into the zoning law.

  districts: HR Hamlet Residential; RR1 Rural Residential 1; RR2 Rural Residential 2; HC Hamlet Commercial; NC Neighborhood Commercial; GEN General Use

  “For the purpose of this law, the Town of Schuyler Falls is hereby divided into the following zones: HR — Hamlet Residential RR1 — Rural Residential 1 RR2 — Rural Residential 2 HC — Hamlet Commercial NC — Neighborhood Commercial GEN — General Use”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Multiple-family dwelling developments inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • The rule applies to both condominium and rental units.

  maximum aggregate lot coverage: <= 30 percent of total lot area (Multiple-family dwelling developments.)

  “These regulations apply to both condominiums and rental units. [...] The aggregate lot coverage of multiple-family dwelling developments shall not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total lot area.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Camping trailers used for occupancy inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • Overnight occupancy is only at an approved camping ground, or on private land with the owner's consent for no more than six months and only if all health standards are met.
  • Camping trailers may not be permanent residences.

  maximum private-land occupancy period: <= 6 months (Owner consent and all health standards are met.)

  “It is the intent of this law that camping trailers shall not be used as a permanent residence. Camping trailers shall not be occupied on an overnight basis except at an approved camping ground, or, with the consent of the owner, for a period not exceed six (6) months on private land provided all health standards are met.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Overnight camping-trailer occupancy inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • Occupancy must be at an approved camping ground, or privately with owner consent for no more than six months and all health standards met.

  private-land period: <= 6 months (Owner consent and all health standards are met.)

  “Camping trailers shall not be occupied on an overnight basis except at an approved camping ground, or, with the consent of the owner, for a period not exceed six (6) months on private land provided all health standards are met.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  A structure using an onsite septic system rather than public sewer inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • A certificate may issue only when the septic system is approved by the Clinton County Health Department; public sewerage is the alternative stated in the zoning law.

  “No Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance shall be issued unless the proposed use or structure is provided with a septic system approved by the Clinton County Health Department, or sewerage services is provided by a public sewerage system.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town zoning permits inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • Fees are collected under the fee structure in effect at the time of application.
  • The schedule is posted at the Town Clerk's and Zoning Enforcement Officer's offices.

  “Permit fees shall be collected and paid according to the fee structure in effect at the time of application. A fee schedule will be posted at the Town Clerk’s and the Zoning Enforcement Officer’s Office.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-permit applications inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • Applications use designated forms and must contain all requested information.
  • Single/two-family applications require three property-map copies; other uses require a site-plan map.
  • Water and sewage disposal plans require Clinton County Health Department approval evidence; the Town Board fee is collected at application.

  permit issuance deadline after requirements met: <= 15 days

  “Application shall be made on designated forms. All information requested on the application form must be supplied. [...] When all requirement of this Law have been met, the Zoning Enforcement officer shall issue a zoning permit and return one approved copy of the map not later than fifteen days after application.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Schuyler Falls

Town of Schuyler Falls 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)

  Onsite sewage disposal for proposed uses inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • The town zoning application requires evidence of Clinton County Health Department approval for water-supply and sewage-disposal plans.

  “Evidence of approval of the water supply and the sewage disposal system plans by the Clinton County Health Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation, replacement, or re-engineering of a septic system inside Schuyler Falls town.

  • The county directs applicants to obtain a construction permit for installation, replacement, or re-engineering.
  • The town requires County Health Department approval of sewage-disposal plans in a complete zoning application.

  “Per the NY State Health Code, please contact the Clinton County Health Department for instructions on obtaining a construction permit to install, replace, or if you are re-engineering a septic system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Schuyler Falls town.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Schuyler Falls town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for land inside Schuyler Falls town.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Schuyler Falls town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Schuyler Falls town.

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.