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

Town of Caledonia’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, moving, or alteration of a building or structure, including accessory buildings, inside the Town of Caledonia.

  • A building permit must be issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer before the listed work begins.
  • A permit becomes void six months after issuance unless substantial progress has been made; it may be renewed for an additional six months upon application without an additional fee.

  permit term before void absent substantial progress: 6 months (May be renewed for an additional six months upon application without an additional fee.)

  “Requirement. It shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for or the construction of any building or structure, including accessory buildings, or to commence the moving or alteration of any building or structure, including accessory buildings, until the Zoning Enforcement Officer has issued a building permit for such work.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, and structures inside the Town of Caledonia that are erected or altered in use or structure.

  • The Zoning Enforcement Officer must find the land, building, structure, proposed occupancy, or use conforms with Chapter 130.
  • After notification that the premises are ready for occupancy or use, the Zoning Enforcement Officer must make a final inspection within five days and issue the certificate if conforming.

  final inspection timing after notification of readiness: <= 5 days (Certificate is issued if the land, building, structure, or part conforms with Chapter 130.)

  “Requirement. No land or building or other structure or part thereof hereafter erected or altered in its use or structure shall be used or occupied until the Zoning Enforcement Officer shall have issued a certificate of occupancy stating that such land, building, structure or part thereof and the proposed occupancy or use thereof are found to be in conformity with provisions of this chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Caledonia, Livingston County, New York.

  • Use, construction, movement, or alteration of buildings and land must conform to the applicable zoning-district regulations.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Caledonia 3-10-1994 by L.L. No. 1-1994. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings inside the Town of Caledonia.

  • The limit applies to future construction and reductions in area of an existing single-family dwelling.
  • Usable storage-area calculation excludes automobile storage.

  minimum usable living floor area: >= 950 square feet (Single-family dwellings; usable for living purposes.) · minimum usable storage floor area: >= 300 square feet (Automobile storage excluded.)

  “No single-family dwelling shall henceforth be constructed, nor shall any existing single-family dwelling be reduced in area, so as to contain less than 950 square feet of floor area usable for living purposes and 300 square feet of floor area usable for storage (not including automobile storage).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside the Town of Caledonia.

  • The Town's current codified code includes Chapter 113, Subdivision of Land.

  “Chapter 113 Subdivision of Land (§ 113-1 – § 113-41)”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town building, zoning, and related applications inside the Town of Caledonia.

  • The schedule is amended December 30, 2025.
  • A single-family home up to 2,000 square feet is listed at $250; over 2,000 square feet is listed at $400.
  • The schedule lists a $100 certificate-of-occupancy fee.

  single-family-home permit fee up to 2,000 square feet: 250 USD (As listed in the Town Fee Schedule amended December 30, 2025.) · single-family-home permit fee over 2,000 square feet: 400 USD (As listed in the Town Fee Schedule amended December 30, 2025.) · certificate of occupancy fee: 100 USD (As listed in the Town Fee Schedule amended December 30, 2025.)

  “Amended December 30, 2025 Permit Type | Fee [...] Certificate of Occupancy | $100.00 [...] Single Family Home (over 2,000 Sq. Ft.) | $400.00 Single Family Home (up to 2,000 Sq. Ft.) | $250.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Caledonia.

  • Applicant must submit a dimensioned sketch or plan to scale showing shape, size, height, and location relative to property and street or road lines.
  • The sketch must be accompanied by a qualified engineer's written statement or other satisfactory evidence concerning the bounding street or road line.
  • Applicant must state existing or intended use and supply other information required by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
  • Permit issues if the proposal conforms to Chapter 130 and other Town regulations then in force.

  “In applying to the Zoning Enforcement Officer for a building permit, the applicant shall submit a dimensioned sketch or plan to scale indicating the shape, size, height and location in exact relation to all property lines and the street or road lines of all buildings or structures to be erected, altered or moved and of any building or structure already on the lot.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Caledonia

Town of Caledonia does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction projects inside the Town of Caledonia, Livingston County, New York.

  • The town page describes enforcement of both the New York State Building Code and Caledonia Town Code on a part-time basis.

  “This chapter 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 the Town of Caledonia, Livingston County, New York.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town of Caledonia.
• Inspections — Building work inside the Town of Caledonia.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside the Town of Caledonia.
• Setbacks — Buildings and residential lots inside the Town of Caledonia.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside the Town of Caledonia.

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.