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

Town of Santa Clara’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Primary uses in Town of Santa Clara land-use districts.

  • A primary use is permissible without site-plan review only if all other Land Use Law requirements are met.
  • The Town Code also requires a certificate of occupancy for primary uses.

  “Primary Use - A use permissible within a district without site plan review provided all other requirements of this local law are met, but requiring a building permit and a certificate of occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Primary uses in Town of Santa Clara land-use districts.

  • All other requirements of the Town Land Use Law must be met.

  “Primary Use - A use permissible within a district without site plan review provided all other requirements of this local law are met, but requiring a building permit and a certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land throughout the entire Town of Santa Clara, Franklin County, New York.

  • Town projects or projects authorized by the Town are exempt from Town Land Use Law requirements, but remain subject to SEQRA, Adirondack Park Agency Act, and other state or federal requirements.

  “This local law regulates and restricts, as set forth above, the use of land throughout the entire area of the Town of Santa Clara.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use districts inside the Town of Santa Clara.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Town of Santa Clara Land Use Map adopted by the Town Board.
  • Use and intensity regulations apply together in each district.

  districts: R-1-1.3; R-1-3.2; R-1-8.5; R-1-42.7; R-C-1.3; R-C-3.2; GR; H

  “For the purpose of promoting the public health, safety and general welfare of the Town of Santa Clara, the following districts are established: R-1-1.3 Single Family Dwelling 1.3 acres R-1-3.2 Single Family Dwelling 3.2 acres R-1-8.5 Single Family Dwelling 8.5 acres R-1-42.7 Single Family Dwelling 42.7 acres R-C-1.3 Single Family Dwelling or Commercial 1.3 acres R-C-3.2 Single Family Dwelling or Commercial 3.2 acres GR Recreational H Hamlet”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Land-use districts inside the Town of Santa Clara.

  • All acreage sizes in the district schedule are minimum sizes.
  • District-use and intensity regulations apply together.

  R-1-1.3 minimum acreage: 1.3 acres · R-1-3.2 minimum acreage: 3.2 acres · R-1-8.5 minimum acreage: 8.5 acres · R-1-42.7 minimum acreage: 42.7 acres · R-C-1.3 minimum acreage: 1.3 acres · R-C-3.2 minimum acreage: 3.2 acres

  “All acreage sizes are given as a minimum size.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater treatment systems inside the Town of Santa Clara.

  • The Enforcement Officer is appointed by the Town Board.
  • Appeals from Enforcement Officer action go to the Local Board of Health.

  “The Enforcement Officer shall have the duty to administer and enforce the provisions of this local law. The Enforcement Officer shall be appointed and may be removed by the Town Board. Persons adversely affected by an action, omission, decision or ruling by the Enforcement Officer may appeal to the Local Board of Health”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, or enlargement of an on-site wastewater treatment system within the Town of Santa Clara.

  • Minor repairs and alterations and emergency repairs may be made without a permit.
  • Applications may be made only by the lot owner or authorized agent or assign.
  • The application must include evidence that no public sewer is available or that discharge to public sewer is impracticable.
  • At least two soil percolation tests and one deep-hole test pit are required for a proposed absorption area.

  treatment system permit application fee: 30 USD

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter, repair, or enlarge a wastewater treatment system within the Town unless a treatment system permit has been issued therefor, except that minor repairs and alterations or emergency repairs may be made without a permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Individual on-site wastewater treatment systems inside the Town of Santa Clara.

  • A Town treatment-system permit is generally required before construction, alteration, repair, or enlargement.
  • Minor repairs and alterations and emergency repairs are exempt from that permit requirement.
  • The applicant must demonstrate no available public sewer or impracticability of discharge to a public sewer.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter, repair, or enlarge a wastewater treatment system within the Town unless a treatment system permit has been issued therefor, except that minor repairs and alterations or emergency repairs may be made without a permit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions of land inside the Town of Santa Clara that are not Class A regional subdivisions under Adirondack Park Agency jurisdiction.

  • The Planning Board has jurisdiction over all Town subdivisions other than Class A regional subdivisions subject to Adirondack Park Agency jurisdiction.
  • For a Class B regional subdivision, final approval results in a permit authorizing the subdivider to undertake the subdivision subject to permit terms and conditions.

  “The Planning Board shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by statute and by this local law and shall have jurisdiction over all matters requiring Site Plan Review pursuant to Section 6.20 of this local law [...] and all subdivisions of land not subject to the Adirondack Park Agency jurisdiction as a class A regional subdivision.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town wastewater treatment-system permit applications.

  • The stated fee accompanies the treatment-system permit application.

  treatment system permit application fee: 30 USD

  “A fee of ($30.00) shall accompany the application for a treatment system permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for a building permit under the Town of Santa Clara Land Use Law.

  • The applicant must determine the land-use district, refer to applicable Articles IV and V, assess wetland involvement, and determine whether special review or Adirondack Park Agency review applies.

  “The procedure to be followed by any applicant for the purpose of obtaining a building permit under this local law shall be as follows:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Santa Clara

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside the Town of Santa Clara, New York, which is outside New York City.

  • The 2025 Uniform Code became effective December 31, 2025.
  • Local governments may adopt more restrictive construction standards only subject to state approval.

  “Effective Date: The effective date of the 2025 NYS Uniform Code is December 31, 2025.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town of Santa Clara.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Santa Clara.
• Setbacks — Structures inside the Town of Santa Clara.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside the Town of Santa Clara.
• Building height — Buildings inside the Town of Santa Clara.

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.