Bolthole Index

Nassau County, New York

Building permits, zoning and land rules in the Village of Hewlett Bay Park, New York

The Village of Hewlett Bay Park, in Nassau County, New York, requires a building permit before any building is built or altered, and the village's own code sets zoning for every lot12. The whole village is one residence district limited to single-family homes, with a 43,560-square-foot minimum lot3. Septic approval comes from Nassau County health officials rather than the village; we could not confirm the exact office for a single home4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the village before building or altering any building1
Zoning
Village zoning; one residence district covers the whole village25
Minimum lot
43,560 square feet in the A Residence District3
Front setback
At least 50 feet from the street line6
RV or trailer living
Limited: no trailer may be stored in a yard7
Accessory dwelling
Prohibited: accessory buildings may not hold habitable space8
Septic
New cesspools and septic tanks barred once street sewers operate9

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Hewlett Bay Park Building Department

Village building permits, plus the Zoning Board and Design Review Board clerk

(516) 295-1400

30 Piermont Ave, Hewlett, NY 11557

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

On-site sewage disposal plans and sewer connection requirements for Nassau County

516-227-9692

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Hewlett Bay Park means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Hewlett Bay Park have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The Village of Hewlett Bay Park adopts and enforces its own zoning, and a single Single A Residence District applies throughout the village2. Only a single-family detached residence is a permitted principal use7.

Lots must be at least 43,560 square feet, with at least 100 feet of street frontage3. Front yards must be at least 50 feet deep6. Buildings may not exceed 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less10.

Tiny homes do not fit: a new dwelling must have at least 2,625 square feet of livable floor area, or 3,000 if it is all on one story11. Accessory buildings may not be used for living, sleeping, eating or cooking8. Trailers may not be stored in a yard, and a mobile home is treated as a commercial vehicle7.

Do you need a building permit in Hewlett Bay Park, and who issues it?

Yes. Before any building or part of a building is built or altered, the owner or builder must file an application with the village clerk, addressed to the board of trustees1. The Village Building Department confirms that repairs, renovations, additions and demolition all need a permit, along with pools, fences and generators12.

Inside the village, the Town of Hempstead's building department is not the permit office; the village handles building permits itself. The village fee schedule lists a $400 certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling, and work begun before a required permit is charged double the fee unless the board of trustees waives it13. We could not confirm the village's inspection steps or its owner-builder rules; call the Building Department.

How do septic permits work inside Hewlett Bay Park?

Village code bars new cesspools and septic tanks once street sewers are in operation, and the board of trustees may require owners fronting a sewered street to connect914. Nassau County requires properties in sewered areas to connect, and old septic systems there must be abandoned15.

We could not confirm which office approves a septic permit for a single home in the village. New York state rules say approval may come from the county or district health authority depending on the property location4. Start with the Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering15.

Building a home in Hewlett Bay Park: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot meets the minimums: 43,560 square feet and 100 feet of frontage3.
  2. Plan for an enclosed garage for two to four cars and a driveway16.
  3. Keep impervious surface to 30% of the lot17.
  4. File the building permit application with the village clerk1.
  5. Call the Building Department at (516) 295-1400 about inspections and the certificate of occupancy12.

What stays with Nassau County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and sewer connection questions go to the Nassau County Department of Health15. Subdivisions of five or more lots need county health approval of water, sewage and drainage plans18. Land outside the village follows other rules; see the Nassau County page.

Before buying, ask the village about flood zone rules, which we could not confirm, and check that any teardown or new lot can meet the lot size, setback and dwelling size minimums above11.

Watch-outs

  • Hewlett Bay Park's village code, not the Town of Hempstead, governs building permits here1.
  • We could not confirm the village's building code details, inspections or floodplain rules; ask the Building Department at (516) 295-140012.
  • Accessory buildings cannot be habitable, so guest houses and RV living on a lot are not available8.

Sources

  1. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 146: Zoning - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  3. Additional Residence District Regulations - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  4. State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Program (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 146: Zoning - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  6. Additional Residence District Regulations - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  7. Additional Residence District Regulations - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 126: Sewers - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Hewlett Bay Park Building Department (hewlettbayparkny.gov)
  13. Chapter A149: Fee Schedule - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 126: Sewers - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  15. Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering (nassaucountyny.gov)
  16. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  17. Article IV: General Residential District Provisions - Village of Hewlett Bay Park, NY (Village of Hewlett Bay Park), quoted and re-checked
  18. On Site Sewage Disposal | Nassau County, NY, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Hewlett Bay Park

Village of Hewlett Bay Park’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or alteration of any building inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Application filed with village clerk addressed to the board of trustees
    • Fences also require a building permit (§ 146-9c(6))
    “before the construction or alteration of any building or any part of a building is commenced, the person causing such construction or alteration to be done, or his agent or the architect or builder employed in connection with the proposed construction or alteration, shall file in the office of the village clerk, addressed to the board of trustees of the village, an application for a permit to construct or alter.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Single A Residence District applies throughout the village
    “adopted by the board of trustees of the village of hewlett bay park 2-14-1933; amended and readopted as ch. i of part ii of the code of ordinances adopted 6-10-1981 by l.l. no. 1-1981.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Hewlett Bay Park village zoning district (A Residence District)

    • Chapter lists a single residence district, designated in § 146-6; § 146-6 text not opened
    “article iii zoning district § 146-6 designation of a residence district; deposit on construction of new homes.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    New dwellings in the A Residence District, Hewlett Bay Park village

    • 3,000 sq ft minimum if all livable floor area is on ground/first story
    • Minimum first-floor livable area in other than one-story buildings 1,750 sq ft
    • Each level above first floor: 875 sq ft or 40% of story below, whichever greater

    minimum total livable floor area: >= 2625 sq ft (3,000 sq ft if all on ground or first story)

    “minimum total livable floor area: 2,625 square feet, unless all of the livable floor area is on the ground or first story, in which case the total livable floor area shall not be less than 3,000 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the A Residence District, Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Street frontage at least 100 feet; width at front yard setback line at least 150 feet
    • Corner lot: 150 feet frontage on one street and 100 feet on the other
    • Waterway frontage at least 100 feet where lot abuts a waterway
    • Legal nonconforming lots existing January 1, 1990 may be built on (§ 146-23)

    minimum lot area: >= 43560 sq ft

    “no building, with all accessory buildings, shall occupy a lot of less than 43,560 square feet area”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in the A Residence District, Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Front yard required on each street for a corner lot
    • Height/setback ratios also apply: front 0.55, side 0.85, rear 0.80 (§ 146-12)

    front yard: >= 50 ft · each side yard: >= 30 ft · rear yard: >= 35 ft

    “there shall be a front yard, the depth of which shall for its entire width be at least 50 feet from the street line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the A Residence District, Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Front yard coverage limited to 30% of front yard area
    • Additional 5% of side and rear yards may be covered only with permeable surfaces
    • Building area also limited to 25% of first 40,000 sq ft of lot plus 10% of excess (§ 146-9c(3))
    • Individual accessory building max 3% of lot, all accessory aggregate max 5%

    maximum impervious surface: <= 30 percent of lot area

    “not more than 30% of the area of a lot may be covered by impervious surface(s).”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings and structures in the A Residence District, Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Height/setback ratios also apply (§ 146-12)

    maximum height: <= 35 ft (or 2 1/2 stories, whichever is less)

    “no building or structure shall have a height greater than 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Trailers, mobile homes and RVs on residential lots inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Only a single-family detached residence is a permitted principal use (§ 146-9)
    • Trailers may be stored only when wholly enclosed in a conforming building
    • Mobile homes are defined as commercial vehicles that may not be parked outdoors on residential premises 9 p.m.-9 a.m. for three consecutive days
    “no trailer of any kind and no boat of any kind shall be stored in any required front, side or rear yard or on any other property in the village”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Small dwellings inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Only a single-family detached residence is permitted, and it must meet minimum livable floor area of 2,625 sq ft (3,000 sq ft if single-story)
    “no dwelling shall hereafter be erected in any residence district unless it complies with the following livable floor area requirements”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes on residential lots inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Only a single-family detached residence with enclosed garage for two to four automobiles is permitted
    • Mobile homes are classed as commercial vehicles under § 146-21.1
    “(1) a mobile home, whether or not such vehicle is supported on wheels;”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Accessory buildings or structures on residential lots inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Amended 8-25-2025 by L.L. No. 5-2025 per section history
    “a use accessory to a principal residential use shall not include use of a building or structure for habitable space (e.g., for living, sleeping, eating or cooking).”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    New cesspools or septic tanks inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Restriction applies once street sewers are in operation
    “after the street sewers are in operation, no owner or occupant of any property in the village may build or erect or cause to be built or erected any cesspool or septic tank”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Property fronting or abutting a street with sewer mains inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Applies when the board of trustees requires connection within the time and manner it prescribes
    • If owner defaults, village may make the connection and assess cost to the parcel
    • Water connection rule not found
    “the board of trustees may from time to time require the owners or occupants of any or all property fronting or abutting on any street or portion thereof to make and lay connection pipes to and from the sewer mains in said street”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Hewlett Bay Park village (Chapter 131)

    • Sketch plan, preliminary plat and final plat fees apply
    • Chapter 131 text not opened
    “subdivision of land ch. 131 sketch plan $500 single-family $1,000 non-single-family preliminary plat (per lot)”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Single-family residences in Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Residence must also have an enclosed garage for two to four automobiles
    “a single-family detached residence, provided that such residence has an enclosed garage for the parking of at least two, but not more than four, automobiles, together with a driveway of sufficient width and area to permit proper ingress and egress for automobiles.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Village permit fees inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Work begun before a required permit is charged two times the fee unless waived by the board of trustees

    certificate of occupancy (new dwelling): 400 USD · swimming pool permit fee: 2500 USD (plus $500 application fee)

    “certificate of occupancy (c of o) (new dwelling) $400”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction permits inside Hewlett Bay Park village

    • Chapter 53 building code administration not opened; process detail beyond application filing not verified
    “shall file in the office of the village clerk, addressed to the board of trustees of the village, an application for a permit to construct or alter.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Hewlett Bay Park or Nassau County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Hewlett Bay Park village
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Hewlett Bay Park village
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Hewlett Bay Park village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Hewlett Bay Park village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Hewlett Bay Park village
7 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Hewlett Bay Park publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Nassau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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