Bolthole Index

Rockland County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Pomona, New York

The Village of Pomona, in Rockland County, New York, zones all of its land as the R-40 residential district, with a 40,000-square-foot minimum lot1. The Village's own Building Department reviews building permit applications and inspects construction2. Septic systems inside Pomona answer to the Rockland County Health Department3. We could not confirm a general rule for RVs or tiny homes on a residential lot.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: the whole Village is the R-40 residential district1
Minimum lot
40,000 sq ft, and twice that where no sewage plant treats the lot's wastes4
Building permit
Issued by the Village Building Department under the NYS Uniform Code25
Septic
Rockland County Health Department plan approval where public sewer is not available36
Setbacks (R-40)
Front 50 ft, rear 30 ft, side 25 ft7
Coverage and height
Up to 20% impervious surface, 15% building coverage, 35 ft tall89
RV living
Not confirmed for ordinary lots; trailers and RVs are barred at permitted camps10

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Pomona Building Department

Building permit applications, construction inspections and code enforcement inside the Village of Pomona; the Village Clerk assists with Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals matters

845-354-0545

[email protected]

100 Ladentown Road, Pomona, NY 10970

Septic permits

Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health

Septic system plan review, installation inspections and realty subdivision review for Rockland County, including addresses inside villages

845-364-2656

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does the Village of Pomona, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Pomona zones every parcel inside its limits as one district, R-40, a residential district with a 40,000-square-foot minimum lot1. The Village says its zoning map is on file in the Village Clerk's office11. Because there is only one district, the same bulk rules apply on every lot.

In R-40 the minimum net lot area is 40,000 square feet, and a lot whose wastes are not treated by a state, county or municipal sewage plant must be twice that size4. Buildings need a 50-foot front yard, a 30-foot rear yard and 25-foot side yards7. Impervious surfaces are capped at 20% of the lot and buildings at 15%8. Buildings and structures top out at 35 feet9.

We could not confirm a minimum dwelling size, an accessory-dwelling rule or a short-term-rental rule; ask the Village Clerk.

Do you need a building permit in the Village of Pomona, and who issues it?

Inside the Village of Pomona, the Village Building Department reviews building permit applications and conducts inspections2. New York requires every local building-code program to demand a building permit for work that must meet the State Uniform Code, with only listed exemptions such as one-story detached sheds of 144 square feet or less5. The 2025 Uniform Code has applied to permit applications since December 31, 202512.

We did not find Pomona's own building-permit application rules in the Village code, so ask the Building Department what a new house, addition or shed needs. Fees follow a schedule adopted by the Board of Trustees, with consultant fees added on top13.

Rockland County does not issue these permits for land inside the Village; the county handles septic plans and a few special reviews, covered below.

How do septic permits work in the Village of Pomona?

Pomona itself defers to the county on septic systems. Where public sewer is not available, a private sewage system must comply with the Village code and with Rockland County Health Department requirements until sewer arrives3.

The county's sanitary code requires a plan approved by the Rockland County Commissioner of Health before anyone builds, alters or rebuilds a private sewage-disposal system, and the system cannot be used until it is inspected and a certificate of approval is issued6. The Department of Health says it reviews and approves system plans and inspects installations14. No new subsurface system may go in where public sanitary sewer is available and accessible6.

Soil matters too: only about 4% of Rockland County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15. Call 845-364-265614.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Village of Pomona?

We could not confirm a rule that lets you live in an RV or a tiny home on an ordinary Pomona lot, and the Village code we reviewed has no tiny-home provision. Treat both as not approved until the Village says otherwise in writing.

The one clear RV rule applies to camps, which need a Village Board special permit: at camps, trailers and recreation vehicles are not permitted10. Camps also need at least 50 acres, and their bungalows, cottages and tents are for temporary visitor use without year-round heating or plumbing16. That rule covers camps, not every private parcel, so ask the Village Building Department about your own lot before parking an RV long term2.

Building a home in the Village of Pomona: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot is at least 40,000 square feet, or twice that without a sewage plant, and fits the R-40 setbacks4.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect Pomona Planning Board approval even for a subdivision approved or filed earlier17, and county health review once a tract becomes three or more lots18.
  3. Call the Rockland County Department of Health for septic plan approval, or ask about sewer connection6.
  4. Apply to the Village Building Department for a building permit2.
  5. Schedule inspections through the Building Department; the work must stay exposed until inspected19.
  6. Get a certificate of occupancy before moving in20.

What stays with Rockland County, and what to check before you buy in Pomona

Rockland County sets the septic rules above, but it does not run zoning: New York gives zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties21. Land outside the Village follows its own town's rules; see the Rockland County page for the county overview.

Before you buy, check floodplain mapping: development in a FEMA-mapped flood hazard area needs a local floodplain development permit22. A driveway onto a state highway needs a NYSDOT permit23. Rockland County's effective property tax rate is about 1.8%, with a median bill near $10,001 a year2425.

Watch-outs

  • We did not find a general building-permit application rule, a certificate-of-occupancy rule or an owner-builder exemption in Pomona's Village code, so confirm each with the Village Building Department at 845-354-0545 before you buy or build2.
  • Rockland County requires a home-improvement contractor license, so check with the Village before hiring or doing work yourself26.
  • Lots outside the sewer service area must be twice the 40,000-square-foot minimum, which can make an otherwise conforming lot unbuildable4.

Sources

  1. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article III: General Provisions (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Pomona Building Department (pomonavillage.gov)
  3. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 110, Article II: Use of Public Sewers Required (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article V: Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  5. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article IV – Waste Facilities and Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article V: Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article V: Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article V: Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  10. ecode360.com (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article III: General Provisions (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  12. Notice of Adoption, quoted and re-checked
  13. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 67: Fees (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  14. Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health (rocklandcountyny.gov)
  15. 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
  16. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article IV: Use Regulations (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  17. Village of Pomona, NY, Chapter 130, Article III: General Provisions (Village of Pomona), quoted and re-checked
  18. Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VII — Realty Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  19. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Floodplain Management, quoted and re-checked
  23. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Consumer Alert: NYS Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Provides New Yorkers with Tips for Avoiding Home Improvement Scams (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Village of Pomona

Village of Pomona’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Pomona village limits.

    • The chapter designates all Village area as the R-40 District.
    “The entire area of the Village of Pomona is hereby designated as a residential district with a minimum of 40,000 square feet per lot, hereinafter referred to as the "R-40 District."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Pomona village limits.

    • The Village states that its entire area is the R-40 District and that the zoning map is on file in the Village Clerk's office.

    district: R-40 District (Covers the entire Village according to § 130-5.)

    “The entire area of the Village of Pomona is hereby designated as a residential district with a minimum of 40,000 square feet per lot, hereinafter referred to as the "R-40 District."”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Recreational vehicles at camps operating under the Village's R-40 special-permit provision.

    • This claim is limited to camps; it does not establish a general rule for every private parcel.
    “Trailers and recreation vehicles shall not be permitted.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camps in the R-40 District inside Pomona village limits.

    • A Village Board special permit is required.
    • The camp must have at least 50 acres.
    • Bungalows, cottages, and tents are only for temporary visitor or patron use and may not have heating or plumbing that permits year-round residential communities.

    minimum camp lot area: >= 50 acres

    “Camps, subject to special permit by the Village Board, provided that: [...] They have a minimum lot area of 50 acres. [...] The facility may include bungalows, cottages and tents for temporary use by visitors or patrons of such camps, provided that no heating or plumbing facilities are installed to permit year-round residential communities.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside Pomona village limits where public sewer is unavailable.

    • The system must comply with Chapter 110 and Rockland County Health Department requirements.
    • It is allowed only until public sewer becomes available.
    “Where a public sewer system is not available, the building or premises may be connected to such private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the requirements of the Rockland County Health Department until such time as a public sewer system becomes available to such building and premises.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions inside Pomona village limits.

    • Subdivisions must comply with Chapter 130.
    • A subdivision filed with the County Clerk or previously approved by another planning board must obtain Pomona Planning Board approval.
    “Any subdivision which may have been filed in the County Clerk's office and/or have had prior approval from any appropriate planning board prior to the effective date of this chapter must obtain approval from the Village of Pomona Planning Board regardless of such prior filing or approval, and such subdivision must comply with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village applications and charges inside Pomona village limits.

    • The fee schedule is adopted by the Board of Trustees and is on file in Village offices.
    • Consultant fees are additional, with applicant escrow deposits and replenishment as needed.
    “All fees and charges shall be paid in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by the Board of Trustees.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Sewer connections inside Pomona village limits.

    • The official text provides a sewer-connection notice process, but no general building-permit application process was located.

    completion period after service of connection notice: 30 days (Applies to the notice described in § 110-8.)

    “The notice shall contain a description of the property affected, sufficiently definite in terms to identify it, as well as a description of the required connection and notice that unless the connection shall be completed within 30 days after the service thereof, the municipality will proceed to make such connection or cause the same to be done pursuant to the authority of § 110-5 hereinabove.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Pomona

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-40 District, which covers the entire Village of Pomona.

    • Lots whose effluent and wastes are not treated by a state, county, or municipal sewage plant must be twice the district lot size.

    minimum net lot area: 40000 square feet (Twice the designated district size where effluent and wastes are not treated by a state, county, or municipal sewage plant.)

    “Minimum net lot area: 40,000 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-40 District, which covers the entire Village of Pomona.

    • For a right-of-way under 50 feet, buildings must be set back from the roadway center line by the required front yard plus 25 feet.
    • Corner-lot yards abutting streets are front yards.

    minimum front yard: 50 feet (Measured from right-of-way edge; special center-line measurement applies on rights-of-way under 50 feet.) · minimum rear yard: 30 feet · minimum side yard: 25 feet (Corner-lot street yards are front yards.)

    “Minimum front yard: 50 feet, measured from the edge of the right-of-way. If located on a right-of-way of less than 50 feet, all buildings shall be set back a distance, measured from the center line of the existing roadway, of at least the required front yard plus 25 feet. [...] Minimum rear yard: 30 feet. [...] Minimum side yard: 25 feet. On a corner lot, each yard which abuts a street shall be deemed a front yard and shall meet front yard requirements.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-40 District, which covers the entire Village of Pomona.

    • Maximum lot coverage is calculated by dividing all impervious surfaces by net lot area.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent (Impervious surfaces divided by net lot area.) · maximum building coverage: <= 15 percent

    “In calculating maximum lot coverage, the total of all impervious surfaces shall be divided by the net lot area, as defined by this chapter. [...] Maximum building coverage: 15%.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-40 District, which covers the entire Village of Pomona.

    • Height is measured from ground level in front of the building or structure.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (Measured from ground level in front of the building or structure.)

    “Maximum height of buildings and structures shall be 35 feet measured from ground level in front of the building or structure.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Pomona village limits where public sewer is unavailable.

    • The private system must comply with Chapter 110 and Rockland County Health Department requirements until public sewer becomes available.
    “Where a public sewer system is not available, the building or premises may be connected to such private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with the requirements of the Rockland County Health Department until such time as a public sewer system becomes available to such building and premises.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Pomona or Rockland County directly.

  • Building permit — General residential construction inside Pomona village limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Pomona village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for land inside Pomona village limits.
  • Inspections — General building inspections inside Pomona village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for land inside Pomona village limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Village of Pomona publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Rockland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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