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

Town of Brunswick’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, improvement, demolition, conversion, occupancy change, excavation, or grading of a building or structure inside Brunswick town.

  • A separate permit is required for each building or structure.
  • The ordinance recognizes exemptions under Chapter 55 but does not authorize noncompliant work under an exemption.

  “without first obtaining a separate building permit from the Building Department for each such building or structure”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building-permit work inside Brunswick town.

  • Permit applications are examined for compliance with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.

  “An application for a Building Permit shall be examined to ascertain whether the proposed work is in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and Energy Code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work requiring a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance inside Brunswick town.

  • Inspection occurs before issuance of the certificate.

  “shall inspect the building, structure or work prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Compliance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any work subject to a Brunswick building permit and structures converted between use or occupancy classifications.

  • A building or structure previously subject to a building permit may be used or occupied only after issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.

  “A Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a Building Permit”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land and structures within the unincorporated areas of the Town of Brunswick, New York.

  • The zoning map is on file at Brunswick Town Hall.
  • More restrictive applicable local, county, state, or federal requirements govern where inconsistent.

  “These regulations govern the use, development, and protection of all land and structures within the unincorporated areas of the Town of Brunswick, New York”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes in mobile-home parks inside Brunswick town.

  • A mobile-home park must be at least 10 acres.
  • Only one mobile home may occupy a mobile-home lot.
  • Mobile-home-park utilities must comply with Rensselaer County and New York State health requirements.

  minimum mobile home park area: >= 10 acres · minimum mobile home lot area: >= 6000 square feet

  “Only one mobile home shall be permitted to occupy any one mobile home lot.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments inside Brunswick town.

  • The district schedule identifies accessory apartments as special-permit uses in the listed districts.
  • Special permits require adherence to general and applicable specific standards and approval as required by the Zoning Law.

  “Accessory Apartment SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation for structures intended for human occupancy inside Brunswick town.

  • A potable-water supply and separate disposal of sewage and domestic or trade wastes must meet applicable Town, county, and state requirements.

  “requirements for a system or facilities for both a potable water supply and the separate disposal of sewage”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots created after the effective date of the zoning chapter inside Brunswick town.

  • New lots must comply with the chapter's minimum requirements and the Town Land Subdivision Regulations and other land-use controls.

  “such lots established in full accordance with the requirements of the Town's Land Subdivision Regulations and other land use controls.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  One- and two-family driveways intersecting streets inside Brunswick town.

  • The Planning Board or Buildings and Code Inspector may increase a required sight triangle when needed to abate a traffic hazard.

  street leg of sight triangle: 20 feet (One- and two-family driveways intersecting streets.) · driveway leg of sight triangle: 15 feet (One- and two-family driveways intersecting streets.)

  “the street legs of the triangles shall be 20 feet and the driveway legs of the triangles shall be 15 feet.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Applications and permits required or contemplated by Brunswick's zoning law.

  • The Town Board establishes and may amend the schedule by resolution.
  • Fees are payable at application or, as appropriate, issuance.

  “The Town Board shall, by resolution, establish and amend a Schedule of Fees for the applications and permits”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Brunswick town.

  • Application must be written on an acceptable form and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • Construction documents must be accepted and work may not start until a permit is issued.

  construction document sets: >= 2 sets (At least two sets must accompany the application.)

  “At least 2 sets of construction documents”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Brunswick

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Principal single-family dwellings in the R-40 Residential District inside Brunswick town.

  • The schedule's stated minimum applies to principal-building floor area in the R-40 district.

  minimum principal building floor area: >= 1000 square feet (R-40 district schedule footnote (1).)

  “R-40 40,000 180 32 50 25 50 50 1,000 (1) 710 (2) 20% 3% 2%”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family development in the R-40 Residential District inside Brunswick town.

  • Other district and existing-lot rules may differ.

  minimum lot area: >= 40000 square feet (R-40 district.)

  “R-40 40,000 180 32 50 25 50 50 1,000 (1) 710 (2) 20% 3% 2%”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the R-40 Residential District inside Brunswick town.

  • The R-40 schedule identifies a 20% maximum lot coverage; other districts differ.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent (R-40 district.)

  “R-40 40,000 180 32 50 25 50 50 1,000 (1) 710 (2) 20% 3% 2%”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Potable-water and sewage-disposal systems serving structures intended for human occupancy inside Brunswick town.

  • The town requires compliance with applicable Town, Rensselaer County Health Department, New York State Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Conservation requirements.

  “in accordance with the applicable regulations of the Town of Brunswick, the Rensselaer County Health Department”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Brunswick town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Brunswick town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Brunswick town.
• Septic permit — Construction of individual sewage-treatment systems inside Brunswick town.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Brunswick 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.