Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Dexter, New York

Village of Dexter’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Construction and related work inside Dexter village

  • Village page says permits 'may be required' and that this is a partial list; contact the code enforcement officer to confirm
  • Separate zoning permit also required under Zoning Law section 325-52

  “you may be required to have a building permit for construction, demolition, furnace or wood stove installation, plumbing alteration or electrical updates, roof replacements, & installation of pools or fencing within the boundaries of the village of dexter.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land and buildings inside Dexter village (zoning certificate of compliance)

  • Applied for with the zoning permit; issued within 20 days after approval as complying
  • Temporary certificate up to 30 days, renewable for another 30

  “no land shall be occupied or used and no building or structure hereafter used, or changes made in the use, until a certificate of compliance shall have been issued by the code enforcement officer”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Dexter village (Jefferson County) limits

  • Zoning law is Chapter 325; the village's own site file is labeled chapter 326
  • Enforced by the code enforcement officer

  “adopted by the board of trustees of the village of dexter 4-20-2001 by l.l. no.1-2001 {chapter 39 of the 1971 code}. amendments noted where applicable.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Dexter village

  • Also commercial C, light industrial L-1, waterfront overlay, flood hazard overlay, and PUD floating district; zoning map is at village office

  “single-family residential r-1 single and two family residential r-2 multi-family residential r-3 single and two family residential r-4 {added 11-15-2006 by l.l. no. 3-2006} commercial c light industrial l-1 waterfront revitalization district (overlay) wrd flood hazard area (overlay) fha planned unit development (floating) pud {02-01-2011}”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-4 single and two family residential district, inside Dexter village

  • R-1 table lists no minimum dwelling size; R-2 table lists 550 square feet (not separately quoted)

  minimum dwelling size: >= 1100 sq ft

  “{7} maximum lot coverage 35% {8} minimum dwelling size 1100 sq. feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, inside Dexter village

  • Lot width 65 feet at frontage

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 65 feet

  “1. minimum lot area 2. minimum lot width (measured at frontage) 3. minimum front yard set back 4. minimum rear yard set back 5. minimum side yard set back 6. maximum building height 7. maximum lot coverage single-family dwelling 8000 sq ft. 65 feet 25 feet* 30 feet***/5 feet** 10 feet/5 feet** 35 feet/24feet* 35%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-4 single and two family residential district, inside Dexter village

    “{1} minimum lot area 16000 sq. feet. {2} minimum lot width 80 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, inside Dexter village

  • Front yard 25 feet or in line with main structure or neighboring buildings
  • Rear 30 feet (5 feet for accessory structure; 15 feet each where two rear yards meet)
  • Side 10 feet (5 feet for accessory)

  front setback: >= 25 feet (or in line with main structure/neighbors) · rear setback: >= 30 feet (5 feet accessory) · side setback: >= 10 feet (5 feet accessory)

  “1. minimum lot area 2. minimum lot width (measured at frontage) 3. minimum front yard set back 4. minimum rear yard set back 5. minimum side yard set back 6. maximum building height 7. maximum lot coverage single-family dwelling 8000 sq ft. 65 feet 25 feet* 30 feet***/5 feet** 10 feet/5 feet** 35 feet/24feet* 35%”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, inside Dexter village

  • Waterfront revitalization overlay sets 40% including impervious surfaces

  maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

  “1. minimum lot area 2. minimum lot width (measured at frontage) 3. minimum front yard set back 4. minimum rear yard set back 5. minimum side yard set back 6. maximum building height 7. maximum lot coverage single-family dwelling 8000 sq ft. 65 feet 25 feet* 30 feet***/5 feet** 10 feet/5 feet** 35 feet/24feet* 35%”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, inside Dexter village

  • 24 feet or in line with main structure/neighbors for accessory structures per the table's note; exceptions for silos, spires, towers, utility structures (section 325-37)

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (24 feet accessory)

  “1. minimum lot area 2. minimum lot width (measured at frontage) 3. minimum front yard set back 4. minimum rear yard set back 5. minimum side yard set back 6. maximum building height 7. maximum lot coverage single-family dwelling 8000 sq ft. 65 feet 25 feet* 30 feet***/5 feet** 10 feet/5 feet** 35 feet/24feet* 35%”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Overnight occupancy of travel trailers, campers and RVs inside Dexter village

  • Occupancy of a village-board-approved travel trailer is also excepted
  • Unoccupied storage on an owner's lot is not prevented
  • Travel trailer parks are separately regulated (section 325-22)

  max consecutive occupancy on private land: <= 30 days (requires owner consent and existing water and sewer services)

  “no person shall occupy a travel trailer, camper or recreational vehicle on an overnight basis except: a. in a travel trailer which has been approved by the village board; or b. a single travel trailer may be occupied on private land with consent of the owner for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days, provided that existing sanitary {water and sewer} services are available.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Overnight camping in a travel trailer, camper or RV on private land inside Dexter village

  • Single unit, owner consent, max 30 consecutive days, existing water and sewer available
  • Tent camping not addressed in text reviewed

  max consecutive occupancy: <= 30 days

  “a single travel trailer may be occupied on private land with consent of the owner for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days, provided that existing sanitary {water and sewer} services are available.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile/manufactured homes inside Dexter village, R-3 multi-family district

  • Mobile home parks require a special use permit and a permit from the code enforcement officer
  • Zoning definition of dwelling excludes mobile homes; other districts' permitted use lists not checked

  “{1} single-family dwellings, modular and single/double wide mobile homes.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Flood hazard area overlay inside Dexter village

  • Overlay adds to, and does not replace, underlying district rules

  “the purpose of the flood hazard area (overlay) is to delineate those portions of the village of dexter subject to flooding, whereby new development and redevelopment shall conform chapter 102, flood damage prevention.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits inside Dexter village

  • No zoning permit needed for structures under 100 square feet of ground coverage, permitted residential signs, or routine maintenance not expanding exterior dimensions
  • Building permit application can be emailed, faxed or picked up at the village office

  “a. no building or structure shall be erected, altered interiorly, structurally altered, moved or use instituted, until a zoning permit therefore has been issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Dexter or Jefferson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Dexter village
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Dexter village
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Dexter village
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Dexter village
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Dexter village

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.