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

Town of Little Falls’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  A building or structure erected, added to, or structurally altered inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • A permit or certificate of occupancy may not be issued for construction, alteration, or use that violates Municipal Land Regulations.
  • Work may not commence before issuance of the building permit.
  • After approval, the Town Clerk issues the permit when payment has been received; the permit must be displayed on the premises during the work.

  “No building or structure shall be erected, added to, or structurally altered until a permit has been issued by the Codes enforcement Officer and Town Clerk.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings for which a Certificate of Occupancy is sought inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The final inspection is required before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
  • No occupancy may take place without approval of the Codes Enforcer.

  “Final inspection is necessary before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any building occupied or used in whole or in part inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The Certificate of Occupancy must be granted by the Codes Enforcer.
  • Final inspection is necessary before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

  “No building shall be occupied or used in whole or in part for any purpose whatever until a Certificate of Occupancy is granted by the Codes Enforcer.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential or commercial structures requiring a septic system inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The rule excepts an existing lot.
  • Lots require at least 100 feet of frontage; a lot not bordered by an approved public highway needs 100 feet of width on one side.
  • An existing lot may not be reduced below one acre or below 100 feet of road frontage or one-side width.

  minimum lot area: >= 43560 square feet (Except on an existing lot; applies to a residential or commercial structure requiring a septic system.) · minimum frontage: >= 100 feet (A lot not bordered by an approved public highway requires a minimum width of 100 feet on one side.)

  “Except on an “existing lot”, no residential or commercial structure requiring a septic system shall be placed on a lot less than 43,560 square feet; nor shall said lot have less than 100 feet of frontage.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  All lots inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The larger-structure standard applies to structures larger than 100 square feet.
  • The smaller-structure standard applies to structures 100 square feet or less.

  public right-of-way setback: >= 40 feet (Structures larger than 100 square feet.) · property-line setback: >= 25 feet (Structures larger than 100 square feet.) · public right-of-way setback: >= 15 feet (Structures 100 square feet or less.) · property-line setback: >= 10 feet (Structures 100 square feet or less.)

  “All structures larger than 100 square feet shall be 40 feet from the public right-of-way and 25 feet from all property lines.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Septic systems inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The Town Codes Officer issues septic permits.

  “The Codes Officer enforces the codes and ordinances of the town, issues building, septic and demolition permits and performs building and fire code inspections.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A new sewage-disposal system serving construction inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • The building application identifies a new sewage disposal system as requiring a separate permit.
  • A certified soil percolation test is required; if it fails, engineered plans and specifications are required.
  • The septic-permit application fee is $25.00, payable by check or money order; cash is not accepted.

  septic permit fee: 25 USD (Payable by money order or check; no cash payments accepted.)

  “APPLICATION FOR PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT, ALTER, OR ENLARGE A SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings and land uses under the Town Site Plan Review Law.

  • The exemption applies only where the agricultural building or land use does not conflict with Section 305(A) of the law.
  • The listed exemption is from site-plan review; it does not establish an exemption from building, health, or other applicable requirements.

  “Agricultural buildings and land uses that do not conflict with Section 305A.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Private access roads serving businesses and subdivisions that are subject to the Town Site Plan Review Law.

  • A private access drive longer than 500 feet is classified as a private road for the local law.
  • Private roads must meet Town standards where they exist; otherwise they must provide safe vehicular travel in the Planning Board's opinion.
  • Private dead-end roads must have a circular turnaround at least 100 feet in outside diameter.
  • Private roads may not exceed a 10% grade unless Town standards provide otherwise.

  private-road threshold: > 500 feet (A private access drive longer than this is classified as a private road.) · maximum private-road grade: <= 10 percent (Unless Town standards provide otherwise.)

  “A private access drive longer than five hundred (500) feet shall be classified, for the purpose of this local law, as a private road.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Structures or disturbances within the 100-year floodplain under the Town Site Plan Review Law.

  • Construction in mapped special-flood-hazard areas must be avoided or minimized.
  • No onsite sewerage-disposal systems may be placed within the 100-year floodplain.
  • New development may not increase flood elevations on or off site.
  • The lowest habitable floor must be at least one foot above base flood elevation.
  • Structures must be floodproofed and securely anchored unless exempted.

  lowest habitable floor elevation: >= 1 foot above base flood elevation

  “Finished grade of the lowest habitable floor of a structure shall be at least one foot above base flood elevation.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building permits and related listed approvals.

  • No permit is issued until full payment is received.
  • The schedule specifies no charge for a Certificate of Occupancy, Completion, or Compliance with a building permit.
  • Checks or money orders are required; cash payments are not accepted.

  residential structure fee: 0.1 USD per square foot · commercial structure fee: 0.15 USD per square foot · minimum charge: 25 USD · septic system fee: 25 USD

  “No permit shall be issued until full payment is received.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Little Falls.

  • Two completed applications, plans, specifications, and plot plans must be submitted.
  • New homes and commercial building structures require two sets of plans and specifications stamped by a licensed architect or engineer and two completed applications.
  • Buildings under 1,500 square feet require two sets of plans and specifications signed by a design professional and two completed applications.
  • All applications must include a plot diagram.

  application copies: 2 completed applications

  “Two sets of building plans, specifications, and plot plans must be submitted with two completed applications.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside the Town of Little Falls.
• Local zoning — Land inside the Town of Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York.
• Zoning districts — Land inside the Town of Little Falls.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Little Falls.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside the Town of Little Falls.

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.