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

Town of Stillwater’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in the Town of Stillwater.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • Inspection elements apply where applicable and include footings/foundations, framing, building systems, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.

  “Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Director or authorized Code Enforcement Personnel. The permit holder shall notify the Director or Code Enforcement Personnel when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a building permit and structures or portions converted between use or occupancy classifications in the Town.

  • A certificate is issued only after completion in accordance with applicable Uniform Code and Energy Code provisions.
  • The Director or Code Enforcement Personnel inspects before issuance.

  “Certificates of occupancy/certificates of compliance required. 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 classifications or subclassification to another.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and overlay districts within the Town of Stillwater.

  • Additional planned-development districts may be adopted by the Town Board.
  • District locations are shown on the Town Zoning Map adopted June 19, 2025, as subsequently amended.

  “The locations of these districts are shown on the map entitled "Town of Stillwater Zoning Map," adopted by the Stillwater Town Board on June 19, 2025, and as may be subsequently amended.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural uses and roadside stands subject to Table 2 setbacks and width requirements.

  • The exemption stated is limited to setback and width requirements; it does not establish a general agricultural exemption from other Town rules.

  “Setback and width requirements do not apply to agricultural uses and roadside stands.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions in the Town of Stillwater.

  • Chapter 176 includes a procedure for land subdivision, including preapplication review and preliminary submission/layout review.

  “Article IV Procedure for Land Subdivision § 176-5 Procedures to be followed. § 176-6 Preapplication review. § 176-7 Preliminary submission and layout review.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction and other development in Town-designated areas of special flood hazard.

  • A valid floodplain development permit is required before development in an area of special flood hazard.
  • Applications have a $50 application fee and the applicant reimburses the Town for additional review, inspection, and approval costs; the local administrator may require a deposit up to $500.

  application fee: 50 USD · maximum additional-cost deposit: <= 500 USD (To cover additional review, inspection, and approval costs.)

  “It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 103-6, without a valid floodplain development permit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town building-permit applications and construction inspections.

  • Building-permit fees must be paid in full at application submission by certified funds.
  • Inspection fees must be paid in full by certified funds before or at the time of each inspection.

  “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 81-18, Fees, of this chapter shall be paid in full at the time of submission, by certified funds, of an application for a building permit, of an amended building permit, or of a renewal of a building permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in the Town of Stillwater.

  • Application is in writing on original Department forms and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • Where applicable, supporting documents include a site plan showing existing/proposed structures, wells, septic systems, intended work, and distances to lot lines.

  “Applications for a building permits shall be made in writing on original forms provided by the Department. Application forms and supporting documents shall be signed in the original 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 Stillwater or Saratoga County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction in the Town of Stillwater.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the Town of Stillwater.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in the Town of Stillwater.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in the Town of Stillwater.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in the Town of Stillwater.

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.