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

Town of Richmond’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Richmond town that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code, including residential construction.

  • Exceptions are temporary motion-picture, television, and theater sets and scenery; partitions or movable cases under 5 feet 9 inches; finish work such as painting, wallpapering, tiling, and carpeting; listed portable equipment or appliances; qualifying equipment replacement; and repairs without impact on structural systems, required means of egress, or fire-protection systems.
  • The permit must be obtained from the Town before work begins.

  “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 inside Richmond town.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 101.

  “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 this Town.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Richmond town.

  • Inspection is required where applicable.
  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when 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 B of this section is ready for inspection.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Richmond town.

  • The published chapter identifies A Residential/Agricultural, B Residential, C Residential/Recreational, D Residential/Lakeside, E Business, F Industrial, G Commercial/Light Industrial, and H Municipal Parks and Open Space districts.

  “§ 200-12 A Residential/Agricultural District. § 200-13 B Residential District. § 200-14 C Residential/Recreational District. § 200-15 D Residential/Lakeside District.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Richmond town.

  • The chapter identifies procedures for filing subdivision applications and Planning Board approval requirements.

  “Chapter 173 Subdivision of Land [HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Richmond 4-3-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town building permits and construction inspections.

  • The applicable fee must be paid at application submission for a building permit, amended permit, or renewal.
  • The applicable fee must be paid prior to or at the time of each construction inspection.

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

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Richmond town.

  • The application must be written on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The owner or authorized agent must sign it.
  • The application must supply sufficient information to determine compliance with the Uniform and Energy Codes.

  “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 Richmond or Ontario County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Richmond town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Richmond town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Richmond town zoning districts.
• Minimum lot size — Single-family lots in Richmond town zoning districts.
• Setbacks — Single-family lots in Richmond town zoning districts.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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