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

Town of Carlton’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Establishing, erecting, altering a use or structure, or developing land inside Carlton town.

  • Non-permanent utility-type buildings of 100 square feet or less may be allowed at the Zoning Officer's discretion.
  • Special-permit uses require Planning Board special-permit or site-plan approval; an appealed or variance matter requires a Zoning Board of Appeals order.

  utility building area: <= 100 square feet (Non-permanent utility-type buildings may be allowed at Zoning Officer discretion.)

  “No use or structure shall be established, erected, altered nor land developed ultil a permit has been issued”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Structures to be used inside Carlton town.

  • Applicant must notify the Town Clerk when the structure or use is ready for final inspection.
  • The Town Fire and Building Code Enforcement Office grants permission to occupy and issues the certificate.

  “the Town Fire and Building Code Enforcement Office will grant permission to occupy and issue a Certificate of Occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Carlton, Orleans County, New York.

  • The ordinance is administered and enforced by the Town-appointed Zoning Enforcement Officer.

  “Establishment and Designation of Land Use Districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Carlton town.

  • District boundaries are shown on the map entitled "Zoning Map of the Town of Carlton," on file with the Town Clerk and Zoning Officer.

  “Said districts are bounded as shown on the map entitled "Zoning Map ofthe Town of Carlton"”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Individual manufactured homes inside Carlton town.

  • This identified minimum applies to manufactured homes; the opened source did not yield the residential district lot-restrictions chart for other single-family dwellings.

  minimum manufactured-home area: >= 800 square feet (Measured by exterior structural dimensions.)

  “Manufactured homes shall not be less than eight hundred (800) squve feet by measure oftheir exterior structural dimensions.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camping units/recreational vehicles on private property in Carlton town.

  • Camping units may be placed only on improved property, except at an approved camping ground or with the owner's consent.
  • No more than two may be parked on an improved property at one time; they must be in side or rear areas, comply with setbacks, have sanitation, and may not be rented unless in an approved campground.

  maximum camping units: <= 2 units (On any improved property at the same time.)

  “No more than two (2) Camping Units may be parked on any improved property at the same time.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping units in Carlton town.

  • Camping units must not be used for monetary gain or rental purposes unless situated within an approved campground.
  • Camping-unit placement must meet building setbacks in the property's zoning district.

  “Camping Units must not be used for monetary gain or rental purposes unless situated within an approved campground.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Individual manufactured homes used as residences inside Carlton town.

  • A newly placed, replaced, or moved mobile home may not be older than five years.
  • Minimum area is 800 square feet; a permanent full-perimeter foundation below frost line is required.
  • Manufactured homes are subject to provisions applicable to single dwellings and may only be used as residences.

  minimum manufactured-home area: >= 800 square feet (Measured by exterior structural dimensions.) · maximum age of new placement, replacement, or moved mobile home: <= 5 years

  “Manufactured homes shall not be used for any other purpose than residence.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Camping units and temporary livable trailers inside Carlton town.

  • A temporary livable trailer during construction must have self-contained sanitation or an adequate sanitation connection.
  • Camping units must have self-contained sanitation or be connected to adequate sanitation facilities.

  “The Camping Unit must either have self contained sanitation facilities or be connected to adequate sanitation facilities.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Carlton zoning applications.

  • The appropriate non-refundable fee established by the Town Board is collected at application; the fee structure is filed and posted at the Town Clerk's Office.
  • The opened material does not give the dollar amounts.

  “This fee structure shall be filed and posted at the Office ofthe Town Clerk.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Carlton zoning/building permit applications.

  • Application is made to the Zoning Enforcement Officer on Town Board-approved forms available from the Town Clerk or Zoning Enforcement Officer.
  • A complete application requires the specified map and supporting information, including sewage-disposal approval.
  • Once ordinance requirements are met, the Zoning Enforcement Officer issues the building permit no later than 15 days after approval.

  issuance deadline after approval: <= 15 days (After all ordinance requirements are met and approval occurs.)

  “Application must be made with the Zoning Enforcement Officer on forms approved by the Town Board”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Carlton

Town of Carlton does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings in Carlton town, outside New York City.

  • The Uniform Code remains in effect even if a local government opts out of administration and enforcement; responsibility can then pass to the county or State.

  “The Uniform Code is automatically in effect in each city, town, and village in the State (except New York City)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Multiple-family dwelling developments inside Carlton town.

  • Direct access to a public road is required; developments exceeding 12 units require direct access by private driveway or developer-dedicated road.

  minimum front setback: >= 75 feet (From any public street.) · minimum side and rear setback: >= 50 feet (From all other lot lines.)

  “The minimum front setback from any public street shall be seventy-five (75) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Multiple-family dwelling developments inside Carlton town.

  maximum aggregate lot coverage: <= 30 percent (Of total lot area.)

  “The aggregate of lot coverage ofmultiple-family dwelling developments shall not exceed thirty(30) percent of the total lot area.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage-disposal permitting submitted with a Town of Carlton building-permit application.

  • The source identifies the Orleans County Health Department as the issuer of sewage-disposal permits required with a complete Town application.

  “Evidence of approval of sewage disposal system plans by the Orleans County Health Department or its agent, must be submitted”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Multiple-family dwelling developments inside Carlton town.

  • All multiple-family developments must have direct access to a public road.
  • More than 12 units require direct access by private driveway or a road dedicated to the Town by the developer; Planning Board may require additional access for more than 50 units or based on site location/topography.

  unit threshold: > 12 dwelling units (Direct public-road access must be via private driveway or developer-dedicated road.)

  “All multiple-family dwelling developments must have direct access to public road.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Carlton town.
• Minimum lot size — Single-family residential districts inside Carlton town.
• Building height — Buildings inside Carlton town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Carlton town.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Carlton town.

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.