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

Town of Geneseo’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work in the Town of Geneseo that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, and specified solid-fuel installations.

  • The listed exemptions in § 57-4B apply, including certain detached structures not exceeding 144 square feet, certain playground equipment, shallow above-ground pools, specified fences, listed equipment, and limited repairs.
  • Exempt work remains subject to the Uniform Code and Energy Code.
  • A permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before work begins.

  “Building permits required. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Geneseo.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 57, all buildings, structures, and premises are subject to Chapter 57.

  “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 Geneseo.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in the Town of Geneseo where the specified construction elements are applicable.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when an element is ready for inspection.
  • Inspections include, where applicable, site, footing/foundation, slab, framing, building systems, fire-resistant work, heating appliances, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.

  “Work to remain accessible and exposed. Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Code Enforcement Officer or by an inspector authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer. The permit holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification in the Town of Geneseo.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
  • Temporary occupancy may be authorized only by temporary certificate and only under the safety, operational equipment, and egress conditions in § 57-7D.

  “Certificates of occupancy/certificates of compliance required. A certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Development, public or private, within the corporate limits of the Town of Geneseo, Livingston County, New York.

  • The Zoning Law applies unless otherwise expressly stated in that law.
  • Other applicable Town, state, and federal regulations also apply.

  “The regulations of this Zoning Law apply to all development, public or private, within the corporate limits of the Town of Geneseo unless otherwise expressly state in this Zoning Law.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within the Town of Geneseo.

  • The comprehensive Zoning Law consists of text, tables, illustrations, and a map.
  • The law separately contains residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and agricultural district articles.

  “There is hereby established a new comprehensive Zoning Law for the Town of Geneseo, which is set forth in the text, tables, illustrations and map that constitute this chapter.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions and land splits inside the Town of Geneseo.

  • Town code contains subdivision-design, improvement, plat, administration, enforcement, and fee provisions.
  • The Town Planning Board handles land splits and subdivisions as required by the Town.

  “Land splits, sub-divisions and lot combining as required by the Town Planning Board.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building-code permits and inspections administered by the Town of Geneseo.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer collects fees set by the Town Board.
  • Building-permit fees must be paid when the application, amendment, or renewal application is submitted.

  “A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Geneseo. Such fee schedule may thereafter be amended from time to time by like resolution.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits administered by the Town of Geneseo.

  • Application is in writing on a form acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The application must be signed by the property owner or authorized agent.
  • Required application information and construction documents are specified in § 57-4D.

  “Applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Geneseo.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Geneseo.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside the Town of Geneseo.
• Setbacks — Development inside the Town of Geneseo.
• Lot coverage — Development inside the Town of Geneseo.

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.