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

Town of Richmondville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, moving, alteration, or demolition of buildings and structures, including accessory buildings, inside Richmondville town.

  • The Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer must issue the permit before the listed work commences.

  “It shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for, or the construction of, any building or structure including accessory buildings, or to commence the moving or alteration or demolition of any building or structure, including accessory buildings until the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer has issued a permit for such work.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, and structures erected or altered in use or structure inside Richmondville town.

  • The certificate must state that the land, building, structure, and proposed occupancy or use conform to the zoning law.

  “No land or building or other structure or part thereof hereafter erected or altered in its use or structure shall be used or occupied until the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer shall have issued a Certificate of Occupancy stating that such land, building structure or part thereof, and the proposed occupancy or use thereof are found to be in conformity with the provisions of this Law.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Richmondville, Schoharie County, New York.

  • The law was adopted December 11, 2014 and lists amendments through December 2024.

  “This Law regulates the location, design, construction, alteration, occupancy, and use of structures and the use of land in the Town of Richmondville, dividing the Town into land use districts.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Richmondville town.

  • Overlay districts may overlap land-use districts but do not change underlying use and dimensional requirements unless the law specifically states otherwise.
  • The official zoning map is kept on file with the Town Clerk; amendments adopted by the Town Board control if there is conflict with the map.

  land-use districts: Rural Residential (RR); Hamlet (H); Water Shed Protection (WSP); Agricultural-Education (AE); Educational (E); Mobile Home (MH); Commercial (C)

  “Rural Residential RR Hamlet H Water Shed Protection WSP Agricultural-Education AE Educational E Mobile Home MH Commercial C”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers used as camp sites on land in Richmondville town.

  • A camp site of two or fewer travel trailers or tents requires a permit and written waste-disposal plan.
  • Three or more travel trailers or tents require an approved special-use permit.
  • The law defines a travel trailer as intended for temporary living quarters for travel, recreation, or vacation purposes.

  camp-site units before special-use permit: <= 2 travel trailers or tents (written waste-disposal plan required) · special-use threshold: >= 3 travel trailers or tents (approved special-use permit required)

  “Campsites consisting of three (3) or more travel trailers or tents shall require an approved special use permit.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camp sites using travel trailers or tents on land inside Richmondville town.

  • For two or fewer travel trailers or tents, the applicant must provide a written plan for proper waste disposal.
  • Guidance from the New York State Department of Health or Schoharie County Health Department may be required.
  • Three or more travel trailers or tents require an approved special-use permit.

  camp-site units before special-use permit: <= 2 travel trailers or tents (permit and written waste-disposal plan) · special-use threshold: >= 3 travel trailers or tents (approved special-use permit)

  “The Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a permit for a Camp Site consisting of two (2) or less travel trailers or tents provided the applicant provides a written plan detailing how proper waste disposal will be carried out.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural structures and agricultural land uses inside Richmondville town.

  • The exemption is from site-plan review.
  • Roadside stands for agricultural products from a permanent structure are excepted.
  • Temporary roadside stands smaller than 200 square feet are exempt.

  temporary roadside-stand exemption threshold: < 200 square feet (temporary roadside stands)

  “Agricultural structures as defined under the N.Y. State Building and Fire Code Regulations and Agricultural land uses, with the exception of roadside stands for the sale of agricultural products from a permanent structure. Temporary roadside stands smaller than 200 square feet are exempt.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Richmondville town.

  • The one-resident-unit rule contains exceptions provided for mobile homes, farm-worker housing on an operating farm in a State-certified agricultural district, and legal subdivision under the Town Subdivision Law.

  “Only one (1) resident unit, single, multiple or other type of residence complex, shall be permitted on a legal lot owned by one (1) person, except as provided for mobile homes in appropriate districts or housing for farm workers on an operating farm in a State certified agricultural district approved per Section 402 of this law, unless lawfully subdivided by standards according to the Town of Richmondville Subdivision Law.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town special-use permit applications and other Town permits where the applicable law assigns fees.

  • The Town Board sets the fee for each original Planning Board special-use permit application.
  • The law separately says sign-permit fee amounts may change and are established by the Town Board.

  “Each original application to the Planning Board for a special use permit shall be accompanied by a fee as set by the Town Board of Richmondville.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits and site-plan development applications inside Richmondville town.

  • All development applications are made to the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The officer consults the Planning Board on need for site-plan review; the Planning Board has final decision.
  • The building-permit requirement applies before specified construction activity begins.

  “All development applications shall be made to the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer. The Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer shall consult with the Planning Board as to whether a Site Plan review is needed. The Planning Board will have final say on this decision.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Richmondville

Town of Richmondville 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 sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Rural Residential (RR) District in Richmondville town.

  • A new building lot may not exceed four times its width.
  • A qualifying parcel existing when the law was passed and filed that is at least two acres is not restricted to minimum frontage if it has vehicular accessibility and meets all other local-law requirements.
  • Only one resident unit is permitted on a legal lot owned by one person except as specified in the law or where lawfully subdivided.

  minimum lot size: 1.5 acres

  “RR 1.5 Acres 200 ft. 60 ft. 15 ft. 15.ft 35/2.5”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Rural Residential (RR) District in Richmondville town.

  • The county/town-road-centerline setback is 60 feet.
  • For State roads, setback is 50 feet from the edge of pavement.
  • All road rights-of-way must be adhered to, and the owner is responsible for checking before work begins.

  county/town road centerline setback: 60 feet (State roads use edge-of-pavement setback) · side property line setback: 15 feet · rear property line setback: 15 feet · State-road edge-of-pavement setback: 50 feet

  “Setback from State Roads shall be fifty (50) feet from edge of pavement. All road rights-of-way must be adhered to, and it is the responsibility of a property owner to check before work begins.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Rural Residential (RR) District in Richmondville town.

  • The height table gives 35 feet and 2.5 stories.
  • Specified otherwise-legal structures are excepted from the height restriction and must comply with State and federal regulations; telecommunications facilities use the special standards in § 407.

  maximum height: 35 feet (height exceptions in § 300) · maximum stories: 2.5 stories (height exceptions in § 300)

  “RR 1.5 Acres 200 ft. 60 ft. 15 ft. 15.ft 35/2.5”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  All structures to be built and substantial improvements in Richmondville town's Special Flood Hazard Area.

  • Applicant must contact the Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The Town Flood Damage Prevention Law applies.
  • A valid floodplain development permit from the Town Floodplain Administrator and compliance with all relevant sections are required before construction or substantial improvement.

  “All structures to be built or all substantial improvements, as defined in the Town of Richmondville Flood Damage Prevention Law, shall be prohibited until the applicant has been issued a valid floodplain development permit from the Town Floodplain Administrator and complied with all relevant Sections herein.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Richmondville town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Richmondville town.
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Richmondville town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Richmondville town.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Richmondville 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.