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

Town of Barre’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Specified minor work inside the Town of Barre that needs no building permit

  • Exempt categories are listed in § 144-4b; the excerpt quotes the first category only.
  • Category (1) covers one-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses or similar uses for one- or two-family dwellings or townhouses with gross floor area under 144 sq ft.
  • Exemptions do not waive the Uniform Code or Energy Code requirements for the work itself.

  exempt detached accessory structure gross floor area limit: < 144 square feet (one-story detached tool/storage shed, playhouse or similar use for one- or two-family dwelling or townhouse (13.38 square meters))

  “no building permit shall be required for work in any of the following categories: (1) construction or installation of one-story detached structures associated with one- or two-family dwellings or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) which are used for tool and storage sheds, playhouses or similar uses, provided the gross floor area is less than 144 square feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — Construction, enlargement, alteration, relocation or demolition of buildings and structures inside the Town of Barre

    “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,”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  All buildings and structures inside the Town of Barre, administered by the Town code enforcement officer under Chapter 144

  • Article I of Chapter 144 was adopted 8-10-2022 by L.L. No. 2-2022 and amended in its entirety.
  • Chapter 144 administers the state Uniform Code and Energy Code locally; the state codes themselves are state law.

  “this article 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 the town of barre.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work done under a Town building permit and changes of use inside the Town of Barre

  • Occupancy is allowed only after the certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is issued (§ 144-7a).
  • Temporary certificate terms and issuance conditions in § 144-7b were not retrieved.

  “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 Barre limits, administered by the Town under Chapter 350 (Zoning)

  • Zoning applies by district as shown on the official zoning map kept in the Town Clerk's office (§ 350-19).
  • Only uses and dimensions permitted in each district apply; district-specific limits are not stated in this claim.

  “the town of barre is hereby divided into zoning districts as hereinafter set forth and as the same may be, from time to time, amended.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of the Town of Barre inside Town limits

  • Districts listed in § 350-18: AR Agricultural/Residential; R-1 Residential; B General Business; LI Light Industrial; PD Planned Light Industrial/Commercial Development; F Flood Hazard Overlay District.
  • Dimensional and use rules for each district are in Chapter 350 Article V and were not retrieved for this record.

  “ar agricultural/residential r-1 residential b general business li light industrial pd planned light industrial/commercial development f flood hazard overlay district”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying a recreational vehicle on private land outside an approved campground inside the Town of Barre

  • No more than two recreational vehicles may be parked on any residential property at the same time (§ 350-34b).
  • Recreational vehicles may not be placed in the front yard of land on which there is a dwelling (§ 350-34c).
  • Occupancy beyond 72 hours requires the private landowner's consent or a temporary use permit (§ 350-34a).

  RV occupancy limit outside approved campground without landowner consent: <= 72 hours (private landowner consent; temporary use permit under § 350-34a)

  “recreational vehicles located outside of an approved campground shall not be occupied for more than 72 hours, on any basis, without the consent of the private landowner.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a recreational vehicle outside an approved campground inside the Town of Barre

  • The Code Enforcement Officer may issue a temporary use permit; the excerpt sets the maximum at 30 days.
  • Campground use is a separate question (campgrounds need a special use permit in AR; see § 350-48 per search snippet, not verified here).

  temporary RV occupancy permit maximum duration: <= 30 days (temporary use permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer)

  “the code enforcement officer may issue a temporary use permit to occupy a recreational vehicle located outside of an approved campground for a period not to exceed 30 days in duration.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside the Town of Barre
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside the Town of Barre
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the AR and R-1 districts inside the Town of Barre
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the AR (Agricultural/Residential) and R-1 (Residential) districts inside the Town of Barre
• Setbacks — Front, side and rear yard setbacks in the AR and R-1 districts inside the Town of Barre

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 Barre 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.