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

Village of Pittsford’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work subject to the Uniform Code, Energy Code or NYStretch inside Pittsford village

  • Permit issued by the code enforcement officer
  • Application needs insurance certificates, workers' comp proof or affidavit, and two sets of construction documents
  • Work not needing a permit must still comply with the Uniform Code

  “a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the uniform code, the energy code and/or nystretch, including but not limited to the occupancy, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  All buildings and structures inside Pittsford village

  • Village administers the NYS Uniform Code, Energy Code and NYStretch Energy Code 2020 (amended 1-11-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022)
  • Adopted 12-12-2006 by L.L. No. 9-2006 under Municipal Home Rule Law §10

  “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code), state energy conservation construction code (the energy code), and the nystretch energy code 2020 (nystretch) in the village of pittsford.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Pittsford village

  • Inspected elements include footing and foundation, framing, building systems, energy code compliance and a final inspection, 'where applicable'
  • Permit holder must notify the code enforcement officer when work is ready

  “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.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Pittsford village (Monroe County), NY

  • Adopted 11-21-2019 by L.L. No. 5-2019 under NY Village Law Article 7; superseded former Ch. 210 of 1989

  “the board of trustees of the village of pittsford hereby enacts and publishes the following chapter establishing zoning regulations for the village”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Residential districts inside Pittsford village (LDR, MDR, R-5, LOR); business, mixed-use and special districts are in Arts. 21-23

  • Zoning map is Attachment 2 to Ch. 210

  “low density residential ldr medium density residential mdr residential r-5 limited office residential lor”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family principal structures in LDR and MDR districts inside Pittsford village (no minimum shown for LOR)

  • Minimum ground floor area by number of stories; R-5 district not opened

  LDR ground floor, 1 story: >= 1600 sq ft · LDR ground floor, 1.5 stories: >= 1400 sq ft · LDR ground floor, 2 stories: >= 1000 sq ft · MDR ground floor, 1 story: >= 1200 sq ft · MDR ground floor, 1.5 stories: >= 1000 sq ft · MDR ground floor, 2 stories: >= 750 sq ft

  “principal structure (2 stories) 1,000 square feet minimum 750 square feet minimum - principal structure (1.5 stories) 1,400 square feet minimum 1,000 square feet minimum - principal structure (1 story) 1,600 square feet minimum 1,200 square feet minimum -”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family lots in LDR (17,000 sq ft), MDR (9,000 sq ft) and LOR (8,000 sq ft) districts inside Pittsford village

  • Nonresidential minimums are 25,000 / 20,000 / 12,000 sq ft; R-5 not opened

  LDR single-family: >= 17000 sq ft · MDR single-family: >= 9000 sq ft · LOR single-family: >= 8000 sq ft

  “minimum lot size single-family dwelling 17,000 square feet 9,000 square feet 8,000 square feet two-family dwelling”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Primary structures in LDR, MDR and LOR districts inside Pittsford village

  • Front yard may instead be the average of adjacent developed lots
  • Side/rear: the larger figure applies to nonresidential uses adjacent to a residential use
  • Accessory structures 3 ft side and rear
  • R-5 not opened

  front yard LDR: >= 70 ft · front yard MDR: >= 30 ft · front yard LOR: >= 25 ft · rear yard LDR: >= 35 ft

  “front yard primary structure 70 feet 2 30 feet 2 25 feet 2 minimum side yard primary use or structure 10/15 feet 3 10/15 feet 3 10/15 feet 3”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  LDR, MDR and LOR districts inside Pittsford village

  • Measured as gross impervious surface
  • R-5 not opened

  LDR max coverage: <= 25 % · MDR max coverage: <= 25 % · LOR max coverage: <= 50 %

  “maximum lot coverage gross impervious surface 25% 25% 50%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  LDR, MDR and LOR districts inside Pittsford village

  • Footnotes on how height is measured were not fully read
  • R-5 not opened

  primary structure max height: <= 35 ft (2.5 stories) · accessory structure max height: <= 12 ft

  “maximum building height primary structure 35 feet 1 (2.5 stories) 35 feet 1 (2.5 stories) 35 feet 1 (2.5 stories) accessory structure 12 feet 2 12 feet 2 12 feet 2”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in LDR, MDR and LOR districts inside Pittsford village

  • Special use permit (sp) in LDR only; MDR and LOR show '-', and the code says uses marked '-' are expressly prohibited
  • Additional rules in § 210-24.3 (not opened)
  • Special use permits follow Article 35 review

  “accessory use or structure p p p § 210-24.4 accessory dwelling unit sp - - § 210-24.3 pond p p p”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Pittsford village

  • Fee amounts are not shown in Ch. 105 text read; § 105-16 not opened
  • Outside consultant costs may be charged through escrow under § 210-19.5

  “a fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the board of trustees of this village.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Pittsford village

  • Application signed by owner or agent, with construction documents and insurance certificates
  • Zoning also requires site plan review (Art. 34) and special use permits where indicated

  “applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the code enforcement officer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside Pittsford village
• Certificate of occupancy — New construction inside Pittsford village
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Pittsford village
• Camping on your land — Camping inside Pittsford village
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Pittsford 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.