Bolthole Index

Columbia County, New York

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

The Town of Austerlitz, in Columbia County, New York, requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and its own Code Enforcement Officer issues it12. The town also adopts its own zoning, with three districts3. Septic permits are a separate office: the Columbia County Department of Health handles individual sewage disposal applications4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Town of Austerlitz under its Chapter 901
Zoning
Town zoning law with three districts: A-HM, S-HM and RR5
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work covered by a building permit6
Septic permit
Columbia County Department of Health, engineered plans required47
Driveway
Approval required before building a driveway; state highways need a NYSDOT permit89
Subdivision
Regulated by town Chapter 16710
Permit fees
Set annually by the Town Board; posted at the town office11

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Austerlitz Building Department (Code Enforcement)

Building permits, certificates of occupancy, and compliance with the town's zoning regulations inside the Town of Austerlitz

518-392-3260

816 Route 203, Spencertown, NY 12165

Septic permits

Columbia County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Individual sewage-disposal applications, plan review, site visits and final inspections

518-828-3358

325 Columbia St. Ste. 100, Hudson, NY 12534

Online permits →

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 Town of Austerlitz means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Austerlitz, NY?

Yes. Inside the Town of Austerlitz, a building permit is required for any work that must conform to the state Uniform Code or Energy Code, and no work may start before the permit is issued1. The town's own Building Department says permits have applied to new structures, additions, renovations and structural alterations since 20072. Installing a manufactured home also needs a building permit under state rules12.

When the work is done, the town requires a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in6. The town's local law carries an exception clause that we could not read in full, so ask the Code Enforcement Officer whether a small shed or similar project is exempt1.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Austerlitz, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Austerlitz issues its own building permits through its Building Department, run by a Code Enforcement Officer certified by the state132. Town hall is at 816 Route 203, Spencertown, and the department's phone is 518-392-32602. The department keeps limited office hours, so call ahead.

Columbia County does not issue building permits here: the county's own Building Permits & Zoning page says municipalities are responsible for building codes, zoning and land use enforcement14. A reader sent to a county planning counter has the wrong office. Fees are set each year by the Town Board and the schedule is posted at the town office11.

Does the Town of Austerlitz have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Austerlitz administers its own Zoning Law, Chapter 195 of the town code, which divides the town into three districts: Austerlitz-Hamlet (A-HM), Spencertown-Hamlet (S-HM) and Rural Residential (RR)3. District boundaries are on the zoning map kept by the town clerk5. The Code Enforcement Officer is responsible for compliance with the zoning regulations2.

The zoning law also says structures may not exceed the ridgeline15. We could not confirm minimum lot sizes, setbacks, minimum home size or which district allows RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings, because those rules sit in the town's use schedule and dimensional table. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer which district a parcel is in and what it allows before you buy.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Austerlitz?

Building permits and septic permits come from different offices. Individual sewage disposal systems in Columbia County go through the Columbia County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division, not the town416. The county requires engineered design plans prepared by a New York licensed professional engineer and built to Appendix 75-A7.

The application fee is $500 for a single lot, plus a $700 engineer plan review fee, and fees are non-refundable17. Applications are accepted only from April 1 through October 1, so a late-season purchase may wait until spring17. A county representative visits the site with your engineer, and the engineer certifies the finished system18.

On soils, USDA rates only 0.4% of Columbia County's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Town of Austerlitz?

We could not confirm this. Whether an RV, tiny home or manufactured home may be lived in on a parcel depends on the district use schedule in the town's Zoning Law, and that schedule was not available to us. Do not rely on a state campground rule for this question: those rules cover campgrounds, not your own land.

A manufactured home does need a building permit and a certificate of occupancy1220. For an RV or tiny home, call the Town of Austerlitz Building Department at 518-392-3260 and ask which district the parcel is in and whether it is allowed there2.

Building a home in the Town of Austerlitz: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer which zoning district the parcel is in and what the zoning law allows there32.
  2. If you plan to divide the land, check Chapter 167 first, because the town regulates subdivision10.
  3. Apply to the Columbia County Department of Health for septic approval with engineered plans, within the application window716.
  4. Get driveway approval before building one; the town code requires approval from the governing authority, and a state highway needs a NYSDOT permit89.
  5. Apply for the building permit from the town before starting work1.
  6. Pass the required inspections and get a certificate of occupancy before moving in6.

What to check before you buy land in the Town of Austerlitz

Confirm the zoning district and the allowed uses with the Building Department, since the town's rules decide what you can build32. Ask whether the parcel lies in a flood hazard area: New York requires a local floodplain development permit for private development in mapped flood zones21.

Plan the septic path early, since it needs engineered plans and a limited filing window17. Budget for taxes: Columbia County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%22. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 33 miles away23. For land outside the town, see the Columbia County page.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, or RV and tiny-home rules in the Town of Austerlitz zoning districts; ask the Code Enforcement Officer before you buy2.
  • Septic applications to the Columbia County Department of Health are accepted only from April 1 through October 117.
  • The town's building permit rule begins with an exception we could not read in full, so confirm whether a small structure is exempt before skipping a permit1.
  • We could not confirm whether a flood hazard permit applies to a specific parcel; the town's Flood Damage Prevention chapter decides, so ask the Building Department21.

Sources

  1. Chapter 90 Construction Codes, Uniform (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Austerlitz Building Department (Code Enforcement) (austerlitzny.gov)
  3. Chapter 195 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 195 Zoning, Article III Establishment of Districts; Zoning Map (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 90 Construction Codes, Uniform (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  7. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 160 Streets and Sidewalks, table of contents including Article II Driveways (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  9. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 195 Zoning, Article II Permits; Fees and Costs; Other Applicable Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 195 Zoning, Article II Permits; Fees and Costs; Other Applicable Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  12. Division of Building Standards and Codes Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 90 Construction Codes, Uniform (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  14. Building Permits & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 195 Zoning, Article III Establishment of Districts; Zoning Map (eCode360) (Town of Austerlitz), quoted and re-checked
  16. Columbia County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (columbiacountyny.gov)
  17. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment System, quoted and re-checked
  18. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Division of Building Standards and Codes Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  21. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: 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 Town of Austerlitz

Town of Austerlitz’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, relocation or demolition of buildings or structures inside the Town of Austerlitz that must conform to the state uniform code or energy code

    • Exception: the section begins 'except as otherwise provided in subsection b of this section' (subsection b not retrieved).
    • Also covers installation of a solid fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit, and temporary sets for motion picture, television and theater uses.
    • No work may start before the building permit is obtained.
    “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”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside the Town of Austerlitz limits under the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the energy code, as administered by the Town

    • Chapter 90 is the Town's local law providing for administration and enforcement of the state codes; state codes themselves apply by state law.
    • Chapter 90 repealed the former Chapter 90 adopted 2-8-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007.
    “this chapter (to be codified as chapter 90 of the town of austerlitz code) 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 the town of austerlitz.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work that is the subject of a building permit, and conversions to a different use or occupancy classification, inside the Town of Austerlitz

    • Occupancy of a building for which a building permit was issued is allowed only after a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is issued.
    • Issued by the code enforcement officer under §90-7 b (issuance procedure not reviewed in detail).
    “a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Austerlitz limits, administered by the Town under its Zoning Law (Chapter 195 of the Town code)

    • Town zoning law divides the town into three districts: A-HM Austerlitz-Hamlet, S-HM Spencertown-Hamlet, and RR Rural Residential.
    • Use schedule, dimensional table and zoning map were not retrieved; see the district-specific claims.
    “for the purposes of this chapter, the town of austerlitz is hereby divided into the following districts: a-hm austerlitz-hamlet zoning district s-hm spencertown-hamlet zoning district rr rural residential district”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Austerlitz limits

    • Districts: A-HM Austerlitz-Hamlet, S-HM Spencertown-Hamlet, RR Rural Residential.
    • Boundaries are on the Town of Austerlitz zoning map, which is on file with the town clerk (§ 195-11 a); the map itself was not retrieved.
    “for the purposes of this chapter, the town of austerlitz is hereby divided into the following districts: a-hm austerlitz-hamlet zoning district s-hm spencertown-hamlet zoning district rr rural residential district”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures inside the Town of Austerlitz (all three zoning districts, as stated in the general districts section)

    • Ridgeline restriction only; numeric maximum heights by district are in the dimensional table, which was not retrieved.
    • Ridgeline limit wording is in §195-10 c.

    ridgeline limit: structures may not exceed the ridgeline

    “this chapter prevents the construction of structures that exceed the ridgeline.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land division inside the Town of Austerlitz limits

    • Town Chapter 167, Subdivision of Land (§ 167-101 to § 167-1106 per table of contents), governs; its approval thresholds and procedure were not retrieved.
    “chapter 167, subdivision of land, of the code of the town of austerlitz.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways connecting to town roads inside the Town of Austerlitz

    • Chapter 160 Article II (Driveways) sets policy, design standards, construction specifications, insurance, bond and approval; body text not retrieved.
    • Approval and driveway permit application are provided under §160-11.
    “prior to the construction of a driveway that enters a town, county. state or private road, approval must be obtained from the appropriate governing authority or agency, and a copy of such approval forwarded to the code enforcement officer.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning and building-related applications inside the Town of Austerlitz (building permit, zoning permit, variance, special use permit, short term rental permit, event permit, timber harvest permit, solar permit)

    • Fees are set annually by the Town Board and the schedule is posted at the Town office; no published fee amounts were found on eCode360.
    • Applicant pays expenses of notice, professional consultants and, for required improvements, a performance bond of 125% of estimated completion cost (§ 195-7 d).
    “the fees for applications and appeals shall be established annually by the town board, and the fee schedule will be posted in the town office.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building and zoning permit processes inside the Town of Austerlitz

    • Building permits and certificates of occupancy follow Chapter 90; zoning permits, site plan approval (Art. VIII), special use permits (Art. IX) and timber harvest permits (§ 195-25) are also listed.
    • Application forms, review steps and timelines were not retrieved.
    “the issuing, posting and expiration of building permits and the issuance of certificates of occupancy will be done according to the provisions in chapter 90, construction codes, uniform”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside the Town of Austerlitz
  • Inspections — Construction inspections inside the Town of Austerlitz
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the A-HM, S-HM and RR districts of the Town of Austerlitz
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the A-HM, S-HM and RR districts of the Town of Austerlitz (main single-family district and rural-residential district)
  • Setbacks — Front, side and rear setbacks in the A-HM, S-HM and RR districts of the Town of Austerlitz
14 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Town of Austerlitz publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Columbia County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Columbia County: county rules, score and offices