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

Town of Turin’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures for which a Lewis County building permit is sought inside Turin town.

  • An approved Town of Turin Land Use Permit is required before the Lewis County Building Permit can be obtained.

  “You will need an approved Town of Turin Land Use Permit (from this office) in order to obtain a Lewis County Building Permit (for the structure).”

• InspectionsLimited

  Land-use-permitted development inside Turin town.

  • The applicant and enforcement officer must arrange inspection before permit issuance; site inspections are made as necessary to assure compliance.

  “The enforcement officer shall be empowered to make site inspections as necessary to assure compliance with this law. lt shall be the mutual responsibility of permit applicants and the enforcement officer to arrange for inspection of premises prior to permit issuance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A use or structure requiring a Turin land-use permit.

  • The required document is termed a Certificate of Compliance and must be issued by the enforcement officer before occupancy, use, or change in use.

  “No use or structure requiring a land use permit shall be occupied, used, or changed in use until a certificate of conipliance has been issued by the enforcementofficerstatingthat the use or structure complies with the provisions of thi law.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Turin, Lewis County, New York.

  • The law replaces and supersedes previous versions of the Town of Turin Rural Development Code.

  “The town shall be dìvided into the following land use districts, which are shown on the attached map and schedule which are kcluded in this law by reference.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Turin town.

  • The districts are shown on the map and schedule incorporated into the law by reference.
  • W and MW are overlay districts.

  districts: A, B, C, D, F, W Overlay, MW Overlay

  “A District B District C District D District F District W Overlay District-Water Supply Protection Overlay District (see Section 360) MW Overlay District - Municipal Water Overlay District (see Section 365)”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots and structures in the Town's mapped A, B, C, D, F, W-overlay, and MW-overlay districts.

  • The standards apply to principal and accessory uses and structures other than signs, in the district where situated.
  • The schedule includes 15-acre minimum-lot-size alternatives for listed districts.

  “All principal and accessory uses and structures, other than signs, shall meet the following totfrontage and setback requirements for the district in which it is situated: [...] Lot frontage mìnimum 300 200 200 600, or 400lwith a 15- acre minimum lotsize 600, or 400with a 15- acre minimum lotsize”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal and accessory uses and structures, other than signs, in Turin town.

  • Setbacks depend on the district in which the use or structure is situated.
  • The schedule includes road-centerline, side/rear-line, well-to-septic-absorption-field, and septic-absorption-field-to-lot-line setbacks.

  “Setback minimums: [...] from centerline of state highways [...] from centerline of other roads [...] from side and rear lot lines [...] from well to septic absorption field [...] from well or septic absorption field to any lot line”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures inside Turin town.

  • Agricultural structures, chimneys, communications towers, television and radio masts and antennas, water tanks, spires, and wind towers are excepted from the 40-foot limit.
  • Structures exceeding 40 feet require special-use-review approval and must meet the listed findings.

  general maximum structure height: <= 40 feet (Listed exemptions and special-use approval for taller structures.)

  “No structure shail exceed 40 feet in height except agricultural structures, chimneys, communication towers, television and radio masts and antennas, water tanks, spires, and wind towers. Structures excecding 40 feet in height shall be allowed only upon approval of a special use review”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Overnight occupancy of recreational camping vehicles inside Turin town.

  • Overnight occupancy is allowed in an approved campground, or as an accessory use at an existing single-family dwelling with owner consent for no more than 14 consecutive days.
  • Unoccupied RV storage at an existing single-family dwelling is not prevented.

  maximum consecutive days at an existing single-family dwelling: <= 14 days (Requires owner consent and must be accessory to the dwelling.)

  “Recreational camping vehicles shall not be occupied on an overnight basis except in the following circumstances: i. When located in a campground which has been approved pursuantto Section 415 ofthis law; or 2. When located on the site of an existing single-family dwelling as an accessory use ofthe dwelling, with the consent ofthe owner, and is not occupied for more than 14 consecutive days.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campsites and camping vehicles inside Turin town.

  • A campsite is seasonal and interim, cannot be a permanent livable residence, must remain mobile, and FEMA trailers are not allowed.
  • RV overnight occupancy is limited by §330.

  “Campsite: A campsite is a seasonal, interim use and not intended to be a permanent livable residence and lacks the physical featuresofa dwelling.Campsites are temporary and shall not be used as a residence and must be mobile and moved without any additional structural features. FEMA trailers are temporary housing units and are not allowed.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Temporary agricultural placement of manufactured homes in Turin town.

  • Planning Board special-use approval is required for a maximum of two manufactured homes on the same lot as an existing conventional single-family dwelling.
  • Occupants must be employees or family members, and the homes must be removed within six months after the special necessity ends.

  maximum manufactured homes: <= 2 homes (Temporary agricultural special-necessity approval.) · removal period after special necessity ends: <= 6 months (Temporary agricultural special-necessity approval.)

  “the planning board may grant a special use approval for the installation of a maximum of two manufactured homes [...] 1) the manufactured homes shall not be occupied by persons other than employee or family mertibers, and 2} the manufactured hornes shall be removed within six months from the date when the special necessity ceases.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments inside Turin town.

  • An accessory apartment is a second dwelling unit on the same lot as a principal single-family dwelling and must be subordinate in size, location, and appearance.
  • The use table establishes district-specific permit status.

  “1. No more than one accessory apartment shall be allowed for each dwelling unit 2. Each accessory apartment shall be a maximum of 600 square feet. 3. Lot size and dimensions shall conform to the district in which the dwelling is situated.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage-disposal systems inside Turin town.

  • The Town's land-use law additionally requires compliance with Title 10 NYCRR Part 75, Appendix 75-A.

  “No land ue activity as listed below, otherthan those specifically exempted in Section 1007 ofthis law, shall be carried out until land use permit has been issued by the enforcement officer [...] 8. Construction, replacementor major modification ofanyon-site sewage disposal system;”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, replacement, or major modification of an on-site sewage-disposal system inside Turin town.

  • The Town land-use permit must be issued before the listed activity occurs.
  • On-site systems must comply with Title 10 NYCRR Part 75, Appendix 75-A, and additional Town-law provisions.

  “No land ue activity as listed below, otherthan those specifically exempted in Section 1007 ofthis law, shall be carried out until land use permit has been issued by the enforcement officer [...] 8. Construction, replacementor major modification ofanyon-site sewage disposal system;”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  On-site sewage-disposal work requiring a Town land-use permit inside Turin town.

  • Site inspections are made as necessary, and applicants and the enforcement officer must arrange inspection before permit issuance.

  “The enforcement officer shall be empowered to make site inspections as necessary to assure compliance with this law. lt shall be the mutual responsibility of permit applicants and the enforcement officer to arrange for inspection of premises prior to permit issuance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway installation associated with a Turin land-use permit application.

  • The applicant must contact the entity controlling the right-of-way before installation because driveways may be subject to regulation.

  “Driveways may be subject to regulation; applicant is responsible to contact entity that controls Right of Way prior to installation.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Floodplain development inside Turin town.

  • Lewis County Code Enforcement administers the Town's floodplain-management program under an intermunicipal agreement, including granting or denying Flood Plain Development permits and enforcement.

  “Administer and enforce Local Flood Damage Prevention Laws. [...] Issue Building, Zoning and Flood plain Development Permits.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town of Turin land-use permits.

  • Fees are established by Town Board resolution.
  • Applicants pay costs of additional inspections, tests, or professional consulting needed for compliance when determined necessary by the enforcement officer.

  “Permit fees shall be established by town board resolution. The cost of any additional site inspections, tests, or professional consulting needed to comply with the regulations of this law shall be paid by the applicant.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Turin land-use permit applications.

  • Applications go to the Town Clerk and are referred to the enforcement officer.
  • Two scale plot plans and the listed site, sanitary, water, percolation, and highway-access information are required.
  • The permit must be posted in plain view from the road at the site.

  plot plan copies: 2 copies (Required with all land-use permit applications.)

  “Permit applications shall be filed with the town clerk, who shall refer them to the enforcement offlcer. [...] Two copies af a plot plan drawn to scale shall be submitted with all applicationsfor land use permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Turin town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Turin town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Turin town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Turin town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Turin town.

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.