Bolthole Index

Ontario County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of East Bloomfield, New York

The Town of East Bloomfield in Ontario County, New York requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, including residential construction1. The town sets its own zoning under Chapter 1352, and its Code Enforcement Office handles both3. Ontario County does not zone land4; septic design needs a licensed engineer's sign-off inside the town5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must meet the Uniform Code, issued by the Town1
Zoning
Town zoning under Chapter 135, with districts such as AR-2, RR-1 and MH26
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work7
Septic
Allowed where sewer is unavailable; engineer designs and certifies85
Minimum lot, AR-2
2 acres for a single-family dwelling9
Minimum lot, RR-1
1 acre for a single-family dwelling10
RV and tiny home living
We could not confirm; ask the Code Enforcement Office3

Who to call

Building permits

Town of East Bloomfield Building & Zoning (Code Enforcement Office)

Building permits, inspections and zoning enforcement inside the Town of East Bloomfield

(585) 657-7700

[email protected]

99 Main Street, East Bloomfield, NY 14443

Septic permits

New York State Department of Health - Geneva District Office

Environmental-health enforcement for Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties

315-789-3030

624 Pre-Emption Road, Geneva, NY 14456-1334

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of East Bloomfield means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in East Bloomfield, New York?

Yes. The Town of East Bloomfield requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including residential construction, subject to the exemptions in its code1. State rules let a town exclude small categories, such as a one-story detached shed or playhouse of 144 square feet or less, but excluded work must still meet the code11.

A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within six months and expires 12 months after issuance unless renewed1. Fees are set by the Town Board and collected by the Code Enforcement Officer12. Once permitted work is done, the town requires a Certificate of Occupancy before the building is used7.

Who issues building permits in East Bloomfield, and how do you reach them?

The Town's Building & Zoning office (the Code Enforcement Office) enforces the state building code and the town code3. Reach it at (585) 657-7700, or [email protected]; the office is at 99 Main Street, East Bloomfield, NY 144433. Applications are written, signed by the owner or an authorized agent, and must be approved before work begins13. Work must stay exposed until inspected14.

Ontario County does not issue building permits for land inside the town; the enforcing authority is the town15.

Does East Bloomfield have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The town adopted Chapter 135, its zoning law, through its Town Board2. Its districts include AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential, RR-1 Rural Residential, R-1-30, MR, CC, LI, GI and MH Mobile Home Park6.

In AR-2, a single-family dwelling needs 2 acres and 275 feet of lot width9, with a 75-foot front setback, 50-foot rear setback and 50-foot side setback16. Building coverage is capped at 15%17 and height at 35 feet18.

In RR-1, the minimum is 1 acre and 200 feet of width10, with a 60-foot front setback, 30-foot rear setback and 15-foot side setback19. A single-family mobile home in the MH district needs 10 acres20.

How do septic permits work in East Bloomfield?

Inside East Bloomfield, public sewer is required where nearby sewers make it possible21. Where sewer is unavailable or too distant to provide economically, development may use a septic tank and leach bed designed by a professional engineer8. Before a Certificate of Occupancy, a licensed professional engineer must inspect and certify the system5.

We could not confirm a separate town septic permit or its issuing office. State rules require an alternative system's plans to be approved by the State or county health department official before construction22. In Ontario County that work runs through the NYSDOH Geneva District Office23. Only about 12.5% of county soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system24.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in East Bloomfield?

We could not confirm a rule on living in an RV or a tiny home on private land in the Town of East Bloomfield. The town's zoning table lists campgrounds as a special-permit use, but no residential RV or tiny-home rule was located6. Do not assume it is allowed; ask the Code Enforcement Office at (585) 657-7700, before you buy3. State campground rules cover DEC campgrounds, not your own land25.

Building a home in East Bloomfield: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and lot size with the Code Enforcement Office3.
  2. Find out whether public sewer reaches the lot; if not, plan an engineered septic system21.
  3. Submit a written building permit application and wait for the permit before starting13.
  4. Keep work exposed for inspection14.
  5. Get the engineer's septic certification and a Certificate of Occupancy before moving in57.

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

Ontario County does not adopt zoning; zoning is set by towns, villages and cities4. A driveway onto an Ontario County road needs a highway work permit from the county26; a driveway onto a state highway needs a NYSDOT permit27. The county page for land outside the town is Ontario County. Ontario County's effective property tax rate is 2.2%28.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm town rules on owner-builder work, wells, floodplain development, or subdivision; ask the Code Enforcement Office at (585) 657-77003.
  • The zoning chapter lists a Floodplain Overlay District, so check whether a lot lies in it before you buy6.
  • Building codes: new applications must follow the 2025 NYS Uniform Code11.

Sources

  1. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 135: Zoning - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of East Bloomfield Building & Zoning (Code Enforcement Office) (townofeastbloomfield.org)
  4. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 135: Zoning - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  9. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  10. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  11. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  15. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked
  16. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  17. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  18. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  19. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  20. Schedule I: Zoning Schedule, Town of East Bloomfield (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 63: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of East Bloomfield, NY (Town of East Bloomfield), quoted and re-checked
  22. NYS Register March 18, 2015 Rule Making Activities — Standards for Individual Onsite Water Supply and Individual Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. New York State Department of Health - Geneva District Office (ontariocountyny.gov)
  24. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Campground Rules and Regulations (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Highway Work Permit: Driveway Permit Checklist/Instructions, quoted and re-checked
  27. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Town of East Bloomfield

Town of East Bloomfield’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside East Bloomfield that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including residential construction.

    • The listed exemptions in § 63-4B apply.
    • A permit must be obtained from the Town before commencing work.
    • A permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within six months and expires 12 months after issuance unless renewed with fee payment and Code Enforcement Officer approval.
    “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”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside East Bloomfield.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Inspections apply where applicable and include a final inspection after permitted work is complete.
    • Remote inspection may substitute only at the Code Enforcement Officer's or authorized Inspector's discretion.
    “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.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification inside East Bloomfield.

    • A Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance is required.
    • Prior inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer or authorized Inspector is required before issuance.
    • Applicable flood-hazard certifications, Energy Code testing statement, special-inspection materials, and factory-manufactured-building seals/insignias/data plates must be supplied before issuance.
    “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.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of East Bloomfield, New York.

    • Chapter 135 was adopted by the Town Board; district and permit requirements apply under that chapter.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of East Bloomfield 8-12-1991 by L.L. No. 2-1991. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside East Bloomfield.

    • The published Chapter 135 table of contents identifies AR-2, RR-1, R-1-30, MR, CC, LI, GI, MH, MU, Floodplain Overlay, and Limited Development Overlay district provisions.
    “§ 135-42 AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential District. § 135-43 RR-1 Rural Residential District. § 135-44 R-1-30 Residential District. § 135-45 MR Multiple Residence District. § 135-46 CC Community Commercial District. § 135-47 LI Limited Industrial District. § 135-48 GI General Industrial District. § 135-49 MH Mobile Home Park District.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential District inside East Bloomfield.

    • The schedule also specifies a 275-foot minimum lot width.

    minimum lot size: 2 acres (AR-2 single-family dwelling) · minimum lot width: 275 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling)

    “AR-2 Agricultural Single-family dwelling 2 acres 275 75 50 50 100 50 25 35 15%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential District inside East Bloomfield.

    • Dimensions are those shown in the Schedule I columns for the listed single-family dwelling use.

    principal building front setback: 75 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling) · principal building rear setback: 50 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling) · principal building one-side setback: 50 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling) · principal building both-sides setback: 100 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling)

    “AR-2 Agricultural Single-family dwelling 2 acres 275 75 50 50 100 50 25 35 15%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential District inside East Bloomfield.

    maximum building coverage: 15 percent (AR-2 single-family dwelling)

    “AR-2 Agricultural Single-family dwelling 2 acres 275 75 50 50 100 50 25 35 15%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AR-2 Agricultural Rural Residential District inside East Bloomfield.

    maximum principal building height: 35 feet (AR-2 single-family dwelling)

    “AR-2 Agricultural Single-family dwelling 2 acres 275 75 50 50 100 50 25 35 15%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Manufactured homesAllowed

    A single-family mobile home in the MH Mobile Home Park District inside East Bloomfield.

    • The schedule specifies a 10-acre minimum lot, 200-foot lot width, 100-foot front setback, 60-foot rear setback, 60-foot one-side and both-sides setbacks, 60-foot accessory-building rear setback, 60-foot accessory-building side setback, 24-foot maximum building height, and 20% maximum building coverage.

    minimum lot size: 10 acres (MH Mobile Home Park District) · maximum building height: 24 feet (MH Mobile Home Park District) · maximum building coverage: 20 percent (MH Mobile Home Park District)

    “MH Mobile Home Single-family mobile home 10 acres 200 100 60 60 60 60 60 24 20%”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic tanks and leach beds serving development inside East Bloomfield before issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

    • Inspection and certification are by a licensed professional engineer.
    • The engineer's certification substitutes for Town Code Enforcement Officer inspection.
    “Prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy, each system shall be inspected by a licensed professional engineer who shall certify that the same is constructed in accordance with the aforementioned design.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private septic tanks and leach beds inside East Bloomfield.

    • Allowed only where sanitary sewer is unavailable or too distant for economical public sewer service.
    • The facility must meet the stated state, Town, and county design standards and be designed by a professional engineer.
    “Where sanitary sewers are not available or where the proposed development is too distant from existing facilities for public sewers to be provided economically, development may be permitted on septic tanks and leach beds.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Development inside East Bloomfield with proximity to existing sanitary sewers.

    • Sanitary sewers are required wherever proximity of existing sewers makes use possible.
    • Where sewers are unavailable or public sewer provision is too distant to be economic, septic tanks and leach beds may be permitted under the stated design conditions.
    “Sanitary sewers shall be used wherever the proximity of existing sewers makes it possible.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits and code-enforcement functions inside East Bloomfield.

    • The Code Enforcement Officer collects fees set by the Town Board.
    • The fee required by § 63-19 must be paid with an application for a building permit, amended permit, or renewal; a fee also applies prior to or at each construction inspection.
    “To collect fees as set by the Town Board of the Town of East Bloomfield;”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside East Bloomfield.

    • Application must be in writing on an acceptable form and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • It must contain sufficient information for a Code Enforcement Officer compliance determination and include the listed location, tax-map/address, occupancy, special-inspection, and construction-document materials.
    • Work may not commence until the permit is issued.
    “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 East Bloomfield or Ontario County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside East Bloomfield.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Principal single-family dwellings inside East Bloomfield.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land inside East Bloomfield.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside East Bloomfield.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside East Bloomfield.
7 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Town of East Bloomfield publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Ontario County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Ontario County: county rules, score and offices