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

Town of Caroga’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Any building or use on property inside the Town of Caroga.

  • The owner must first apply for and receive the applicable Zoning/Building or Sign Permit from the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • effective_at: January 1, 2019 for the cited zoning ordinance.

  “No building or use shall be allowed on a property or sign erected without the property owner first applying for and receiving a Zoning/Building or SignPermit under this Ordinance from the Code Enforcement Officer as provided herein.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under an approved Zoning/Building or Sign Permit inside the Town of Caroga.

  • The permit specifies inspection types.
  • Applicants must request each required inspection from the Code Enforcement Officer at least 48 hours in advance.

  inspection-request lead time: >= 48 hours (Applies to any inspection required by a Zoning/Building or Sign Permit.)

  “All approved Zoning/Building and SignPermits shall specify the types of inspections that applicants must request from the Code Enforcement Officer prior to the commencement or continuation of work. Applicants must contact the Code Enforcement Officer at least 48 hours in advance to request any inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer required by a Zoning/Building or SignPermit to complete a project.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or use for which a Town Zoning/Building Permit has been issued.

  • Before occupancy, utilization, or maintenance, the Code Enforcement Officer must issue either a Certificate of Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Compliance.
  • The applicant must request a final inspection in writing once ready for occupancy, use, or maintenance.

  “No building or use for which a Zoning/Building Permit is issued by the Code Enforcement Officer shall be occupied, utilized or maintained until a Certificate of Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Compliance is issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Caroga, Fulton County, New York.

  • The cited ordinance was adopted by the Town Board and took effect January 1, 2019.

  “Zoning Ordinance as passed by the Town of Caroga Town Board. This Zoning Ordinance went into effect January 1, 2019.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal buildings in the Town of Caroga zoning districts.

  • Applicable district designation must be confirmed on the Town zoning map.
  • The ordinance separately requires lots created after its effective date to meet Article 4 minimum requirements.

  TC Town Center minimum area per principal building: 25000 square feet · R-1.5 Residential minimum area per principal building: 1.5 acres · R-10 Residential minimum area per principal building: 10 acres

  “TC Town Center: 25,000 square feet per principal building. [...] R-1.5 Residential: 1.5 acres per principal building. [...] R-10 Residential: 10 acres per principal building”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in Caroga zoning districts.

  • Additions and enlargements must comply with the lot-coverage requirement for the district in which located.
  • No numeric coverage percentage was verified because the detailed dimensional schedule was not text-extractable in the opened official page.

  “Any addition or enlargement shall be in compliance with all applicable setback, height and lot coverage requirements for the District in which it is located.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupied recreational vehicles on private parcels outside recreational-vehicle parks inside the Town of Caroga.

  • A Town Code Enforcement Officer permit is required.
  • Only one occupied RV is allowed per private parcel.
  • It must meet the zoning-district setbacks.
  • Maximum duration is 28 nights in a calendar year.
  • Wastewater may not enter the property's onsite treatment system except under Article 13, §IV(D).

  maximum occupied RV stay: <= 28 nights per calendar year (Private parcel outside a recreational-vehicle park.) · occupied RVs per private parcel: 1 (Occupied RV placement outside a recreational-vehicle park.)

  “A permit shall be obtained from the Town Code Enforcement Officer in accordance with the requirements of this Article. Only one (1) occupied recreational vehicle shall be placed on any one (1) private parcel. The occupied recreational vehicle shall be placed, parked, located or stored so as to comply with the setback requirements of the Zoning District the parcel is located in as identified in the Dimensional Standards Table in Article 4. All occupied recreational vehicles shall be permitted to be placed, parked, located or stored on a private parcel for a maximum of 28 nights in any calendar year.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private dwelling sewage-disposal systems inside the Town of Caroga, Fulton County, New York.

  • The permit official is the Town Health Sanitarian, Inspector, or another person designated by the Town governing body.
  • The cited requirements apply to private dwellings constructed after the local law's effective date and existing dwellings whose sewage-disposal systems are altered or enlarged after that date.

  “No person, firm, corporation or association shall construct, alter or enlarge or occupy a private dwelling within the Town of Caroga after the effective date of this act, unless he or it shall first obtain a permit from the Town Health Sanitarian or Inspector or other person designated by the governing body of the Town of Caroga.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, enlargement, or occupancy of a private dwelling inside the Town of Caroga where the sanitary-code rule applies.

  • A sewage-disposal plan must be approved as complying with the incorporated Department of Health standards.
  • The permit remains valid provided the sewage-disposal system is completed according to the approved plan.
  • The underlying requirements apply only to private dwellings constructed after the local law's effective date and existing private dwellings whose systems are altered or enlarged after that date.

  “Such permit shall be issued upon approval by such official of a sewage disposal plan as being in compliance with the requirements of the aforementioned Bulletin No. 1.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Proposed subdivisions inside the Town of Caroga.

  • Written Planning Board approval must be sought before a sale contract or offer for subdivision lots and before a structure permit is granted.
  • Preliminary and final plats must be prepared and stamped by a New York licensed engineer or surveyor.

  “Whenever any subdivision of land is proposed to be made and before any contract for the sale of or any offer to sell any lots in such subdivision or any part thereof is made, and before a permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed subdivision shall be granted, the Applicant or his/her duly authorized agent shall apply in writing for approval of such proposed subdivision in accordance with the procedures established in this Article.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Rental of any dwelling unit in whole or part for fewer than 30 consecutive nights inside the Town of Caroga.

  • The rental law is titled Short-Term Residential Rental Law of the Town of Caroga.
  • The initial permit fee is $250 and includes permit and inspection.
  • Before first rental-permit issuance, septic-pumping and inspection are required unless compliance documentation is already on file.

  short-term rental duration: < 30 consecutive nights (Definition excludes specified timeshares, hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfast establishments, school/nonprofit dormitories, and record-owner use.)

  “SHORT-TERM RENTAL (STR): Rental of any dwelling unit, in whole or part, to any person, persons or entity for a period of less than 30 consecutive nights including any residential building or apartment, single- or two-family dwelling, condominium, townhouse.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Short-term residential rental permits inside the Town of Caroga.

  • Initial fee includes permit and inspection.
  • Annual renewal is $200 unless an inspection is warranted.
  • Inspection fee is $50.
  • The Town Board may adjust the permit fee by resolution.

  initial short-term-rental permit fee: 250 USD (Includes permit and inspection at enactment.) · annual renewal fee: 200 USD (Unless an inspection is warranted.) · inspection fee: 50 USD (Short-term rental inspection.)

  “Upon application for an initial permit as of the date of enactment hereof, the permit fee shall be $250 for any rental property. This will include the permit and inspection. Subsequent annual renewal will be $200 unless an inspection is warranted. The fee for inspection will be $50.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Caroga.
• Building code adopted — Building work inside the Town of Caroga.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside the Town of Caroga.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Town of Caroga.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Caroga.

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.