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

Town of Alexander’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings, structures, and premises inside the Town of Alexander.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or another section of the local law.

  local law: Local Law 2, 2006

  “This local law 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 this Town.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Alexander, Genesee County, New York.

  • Town land uses remain subject to the Town's zoning law and its zoning-review process.

  “Alexander Zoning Law The town zoning law have been divided into the following PDF documents.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Alexander.

  • The Town publishes a zoning-law table of contents, Articles I through IX, a zoning schedule, and a zoning map.

  “The town zoning law have been divided into the following PDF documents. Table of Contents Article I Article II Article III Article IV Article V Article VI Article VII Article VIII Article IX Zoning Schedule Zoning Map”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land separation, subdivision, and resubdivision inside the Town of Alexander.

  • The subdivider must apply in writing before a sale contract or formal offer to sell lots and before issuance of a structure permit.
  • The County plan identifies Local Law 2 of 2000 as the Town's subdivision regulations.

  “Whenever any land separation, subdivision, or resubdivision of land is proposed, and before any contract for the sale of, or formal offer to sell any lots in such subdivision, land separation or resubdivision is made, and before any permit for the erection of a structure therein shall be granted, the Subdivider shall apply in writing for approval of such proposed land separation, subdivision or resubdivision in accordance with the following procedures and/or the Town of Alexander Land Separation Law.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Alexander

Town of Alexander 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 wastewater treatment systems inside the Town of Alexander, which is in Genesee County.

  • The Genesee-Orleans County Health District administers the sanitary-code program; municipal ordinances may add consistent requirements.

  “The provisions of the Public Health Code shall be enforced throughout the Genesee County and/or the Orleans County.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, operation, replacement, or repair of an onsite sewage disposal or wastewater treatment system serving a human-occupied structure inside the Town of Alexander.

  • No permit is required where there is no onsite water supply, internal plumbing system, or sewage drain piping.
  • Before issuance, a site investigation, soil percolation test, and deep-hole test are required; plans must be developed to the stated standards.
  • No contractor may begin construction until the permit is issued.

  permit validity: 2 years (or as otherwise stated; permit is non-transferable)

  “No person or contractor shall begin to construct an onsite sewage disposal or wastewater treatment system until a permit to construct an onsite sewage disposal or wastewater treatment system has been issued. No work can be performed for which a permit has not been obtained.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid onsite sewage disposal, including privies and septic systems, inside the Town of Alexander.

  • A human-occupied property generating sewage or wastewater needs Health Department permits for onsite systems unless it lacks onsite water supply, internal plumbing, and sewage drain piping.
  • Where public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, a privy vault, cesspool, or separate sewage-disposal system is prohibited except for a temporary construction privy.

  “Where, in the opinion of the Commissioner, public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, no person shall construct on any premises any privy vault, cesspool or separate system for the disposal of sewage, except a temporary privy for construction purposes.”

• Well permitRequired

  Construction, replacement, or repair of individual water wells inside the Town of Alexander.

  • Permits are required under 10 NYCRR Subpart 5-2; fees and documents are established by the Genesee County and/or Orleans County Health Departments.
  • The well contractor must submit a Well Completion Report to the applicable county health department.

  “All owners who intend to construct new or replace/ repair individual water wells must first make application for a permit to construct an individual water wells to the Commissioner upon forms furnished by the Commissioner.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Properties inside the Town of Alexander where the Health Commissioner determines that public sanitary sewer is available and accessible.

  • Where public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, a separate sewage-disposal system may not be constructed, except for a temporary construction privy.
  • The Commissioner may order a property using another sewage-disposal method to abandon it and connect to the sanitary sewer.

  “Where in the opinion of the Commissioner, a public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, the Commissioner may issue an order to the owner of any property whereon any other method of sewage disposal is located, requiring such owner to abandon the use of such other method of sewage disposal and to connect with such sanitary sewer system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built projects inside the Town of Alexander.
• Inspections — Building work inside the Town of Alexander.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of construction inside the Town of Alexander.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Alexander.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside the Town of Alexander.

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.