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

Town of Canandaigua’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside the Town of Canandaigua that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • The rule is except as otherwise provided in § 92-4B.
  • Work includes construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, and specified solid-fuel-burning appliances, chimneys, or flues.

  “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)

  Construction regulated inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • The Town Code Enforcement Officer administers and enforces the Town Municipal Code, Uniform Code, and Energy Code.

  “The Code Enforcement Officer shall administer and enforce all the provisions of the Town of Canandaigua Municipal Code, the Uniform Code and the Energy Code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction work inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when an element of work is ready for inspection.

  “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 C of this section is ready for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work that is the subject of a building permit and structures or portions converted to another use or occupancy classification inside the Town.

  • A building or structure for which a building permit was issued may be used or occupied only after issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.

  “A certificate of occupancy or 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. Permission to use or occupy a building or structure, or portion thereof, for which a building permit was previously issued shall be granted only by issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York.

  • The applicable district and Official Zoning Map control parcel-specific rules.

  “The Town of Canandaigua is hereby divided”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • The Official Zoning Map is kept in the Town Clerk's office and shows district and overlay-district boundaries.

  “Said Zoning Map shall show the boundaries”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • The applicable Official Zoning Map determines the parcel's district.

  “RR-3 | Rural Residential District - 3 acres (minimum)”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Rental of a dwelling unit or individual bedrooms for fewer than 30 days inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • A short-term-rental permit issued by the Zoning Inspector is required.
  • The chapter applies to the entirety of the Town.
  • No permit may be issued for an STR with maximum occupancy greater than 18 overnight guests.

  rental period: < 30 days (Includes advertising, marketing, or other offering for rent for periods of less than 30 days.) · maximum overnight guests: <= 18 guests (No STR permit may be issued above this maximum.)

  “Operation of a short-term rental ("STR") in the Town of Canandaigua shall require a short-term rental permit”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • The fee must be paid at issuance of a building permit, amended permit, or renewal.

  “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 92-18 (Fees) of this chapter must be paid at the issuance of a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Canandaigua.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer determines whether submitted information is sufficient to determine compliance with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.

  “The application shall include such information as the Code Enforcement Officer deems sufficient to permit a determination by the Code Enforcement Officer that the intended work complies with all applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and the Energy Code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Canandaigua.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Canandaigua.
• Setbacks — Structures inside the Town of Canandaigua.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside the Town of Canandaigua.
• Building height — Buildings inside the Town of Canandaigua.

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.