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

Town of Willsboro’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, changes of use, development, listed installations, demolition, and structural, electrical, or plumbing repairs inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • Exceptions include a conforming sign of two square feet or less and an accessory structure under 100 square feet that is not a dwelling and has no interior plumbing.
  • parameters are subject to site-plan, special-use, variance, and other approvals where applicable.

  “Excepted as stated in number 5. above, Building Permits are required for: a. any new construction of any building, sign, structure, or structural alteration; b. any changes in the existing use of a building, sign, structure, lot, or parcel of land; c. any new land use or development;”

• InspectionsLimited

  Projects for which on-site inspection is necessary or which seek a certificate of occupancy or completion in the Town of Willsboro.

  • The permit procedure says on-site inspections may be necessary.
  • An independent third-party contractor is required for an electrical inspection.

  “On-site inspections may be necessary to sure make that the work being done conforms to the plans and specifications previously submitted. (Note: an independent third party contractor is required for an electrical inspection.)”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy or use of land and buildings erected, altered, extended, or changed in use inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • A certificate of occupancy must be applied for with the building-permit application.
  • A nonconforming use requires a nonconforming-use certificate of occupancy.

  “No land shall be occupied or used and no building, sign or other structure hereafter erected, altered or extended shall be occupied, used or changed in use until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Code Enforcement Officer, stating that the holdings or proposed use thereof complies with the provisions of this Law.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Willsboro, Essex County, New York.

  • The ordinance was adopted as Local Law No. 1 of 2015.

  “TOWN OF WILLSBORO ZONING LAW ADOPTED BY LOCAL LAW NO. 1, OF THE YEAR 2015 WILLSBORO, NEW YORK”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel trailers on lots in the Town of Willsboro.

  • Temporary occupancy without a permit is limited to 21 days per year.
  • Occupancy longer than 21 days requires a Town Code Enforcement Officer permit; only one permit per lot per calendar year may be issued, for no more than 150 consecutive days.
  • Rental parking is prohibited and placement must meet principal-building setbacks and area regulations.

  temporary occupancy: <= 21 days per year (Without a permit) · permit occupancy maximum: <= 150 consecutive days per year (Only one permit per lot in a calendar year)

  “A travel trailer may be temporarily occupied up to 21 days per year on any lot. 3. Any travel trailer that is inhabited or used for sleeping or eating quarters must be provided with adequate temporary water, sewer, and electrical facilities.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Travel-trailer camping or occupancy in the Town of Willsboro.

  • A travel trailer may be temporarily occupied only up to 21 days per year on a lot unless a permit is obtained.
  • Campgrounds are separately regulated where permitted.

  temporary travel-trailer occupancy: <= 21 days per year (Before a permit is required)

  “Section 5.14 Travel Trailer 1. Storage. No more than one travel trailer may be stored outdoors on any lot, except no travel trailer may be stored within a Flood Zone as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2. A travel trailer may be temporarily occupied up to 21 days per year on any lot.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • The Town CEO administers the on-site sewage disposal ordinance.

  “administers on-site sewage disposal ordinance”

• Septic permitRequired

  On-site wastewater-system installations or repairs inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • The building-permit exceptions in Section 11.11(5) apply only as stated there.

  “Excepted as stated in number 5. above, Building Permits are required for: a. any new construction of any building, sign, structure, or structural alteration; b. any changes in the existing use of a building, sign, structure, lot, or parcel of land; c. any new land use or development; d. uses requiring Site Plan Review; e. uses requiring a Special Use Permit; f. uses resulting from the issuance of a Variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals; g. the installation of fuel burning, mechanical, or electrical appliances or fixtures where required by the New York State Building Code; h. onsite wastewater systems installations or repairs;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • Lots must comply with minimum lot-area and dimensional requirements, all other provisions of the zoning law, and duly adopted Town subdivision regulations.

  “Section 4.31 Subdivision - General No land in the Town of Willsboro may be subdivided into lots except in conformity with the minimum lot area, dimensional requirements, and all other provisions of this Law and any duly adopted subdivision regulations of the Town of Willsboro.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots used for building purposes inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • Access must be via a public or private street or road and be accessible to emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances.

  “Section 4.25 Access to Lots A lot to be used for building purposes shall be accessible to emergency vehicles including fire trucks and ambulances via a public or private street or road.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town-issued building permits, special-use permits, variances, appeals, junkyard licenses, and other zoning actions.

  • Fees are due upon filing under the Town Board schedule.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer, Planning Board, or Zoning Board may charge reasonable necessary legal or technical review costs.
  • The Town Board may change fees without prior notice.

  “Fees for the issuance of Building Permits, Special Use Permits, Variances, Appeals, Junkyard Licenses and other zoning actions shall be paid to the Town at the office of the Code Enforcement Officer or of the Town Clerk, as the Town Board may specify, upon the filing of an application and in accordance with the schedule of fees established from time to time by the Town Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applicants inside the Town of Willsboro.

  • Depending on the project, the application may require a plot plan, workers' compensation compliance documentation, construction drawings/specifications, or approvals from other regulatory agencies.
  • Work may begin after payment of application fees and permit issuance.

  “THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCEDURE 1. Schedule an appointment with the Code Enforcement Officer. At this meeting you can explain your project and investigate all the rules, regulations or codes that pertain. 2. Complete and sign the Town of Willsboro Building Permit Application. The Code Enforcement Officer is available to help answer any questions that you might have.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Willsboro

Town of Willsboro does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development and subdivision in the Town of Willsboro Flood Hazard District.

  • The permit applies to the described residential, plumbing/sleeping-facility, and larger non-residential construction, substantial improvements, and all subdivisions in the district.
  • The permit cannot issue until Article 10 is satisfied and, where necessary, an engineer's or architect's certificate is obtained.

  nonresidential building floor area threshold: > 250 square feet (Or lesser Town Board size; Flood Hazard District)

  “A special Flood Hazard District permit shall be required from the Code Enforcement Officer with respect to the construction of any building or structures or the improvement to pre-existing such buildings or structures to the extent of more than 50% of the equalized assessed value which is:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Willsboro.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Willsboro.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside the Town of Willsboro.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town of Willsboro.
• Well permit — New private wells inside the Town of Willsboro.

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.