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

Town of Sharon’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building erected, altered, extended, or changed in use inside Sharon town under the town Land Use Code.

  • The town calls the required instrument a Certificate of Compliance.
  • It issues only after conformity with the code and approved plot plan, purpose, and description is established.

  “No existing land or building shall be changed in use and no building hereafter erected, altered or extended, shall be used or changed in use until a Certificate of Compliance shall have been issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

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

  • The local law applies to construction, installation, alteration, changes in use, and land, lots, or parcels as provided in the code.

  “This Local Law shall apply to the construction, installation or alteration of any building, structure or appurtenant system, any change in use, and any lot, plot or parcel of land used, occupied or otherwise maintained as herein provided for in the Town of Sharon.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Sharon zoning districts.

  • The F-H district is an overlay district.
  • Planned districts are created upon approval of an application to the Town Board.

  “For these purposes, the Town of Sharon is divided into the following districts: R Residential District R-H Residential-Highway District R-R Residential-Rural District R-A Residential-Agricultural District R-C Rural-Center District O-S Open-Space District F-H Flood Hazard (Overlay) District”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational living units used as accessory camping to a single-family dwelling in any Sharon town zoning district.

  • Camping may not exceed 150 days per calendar year.
  • The unit must have self-contained sanitation or an approved septic connection.
  • The unit must be removed at the end of the period; legally registered RVs may be stored where a permanent dwelling exists.
  • A permit is required unless the unit falls under an exemption.

  occupancy duration: <= 150 days per calendar year (Accessory to a single-family dwelling.)

  “All recreational living units allowed under this section must be removed from the premises at the end of the one hundred fifty (150) day period, except legally registered recreational vehicles may be stored upon the premises if a permanent dwelling exists on the lot. Permit required unless unit falls under Exempt Building/Use definition.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping trailers, tents, and other recreational or temporary living quarters accessory to a single-family dwelling in Sharon town.

  • Allowed in all zoning districts only as accessory camping to a single-family dwelling.
  • Must meet sanitation, removal, and permit conditions stated in Section 18(D).

  camping duration: <= 150 days per calendar year (Accessory to a single-family dwelling.)

  “One recreational Living Unit (camping trailers, tents, or other recreational or temporary living quarters) will be allowed as an accessory to a single family dwelling unit in all zoning districts for the purpose of camping for temporary periods, not to exceed one hundred fifty (150) days per calendar year”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile-home-type dwellings in the Residential-Rural (R-R) and Residential-Agricultural (R-A) districts of Sharon town.

  • The code’s quoted land-use categories use the term “mobile homes”; applicability to a particular federally regulated manufactured home should be confirmed with the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • Other local-law requirements remain applicable.

  “R-R: To allow for a low density of one and two family dwellings, mobile homes, multifamily homes, agriculture, and certain commercical uses in a manner consistent with the rural environment north of Route 20. R-A: To allow for a moderately low density of one and two family dwellings, mobile homes, farms, multifamily dwellings, and certain commercial uses in a manner consistent with the rural environment south of Route 20.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  One mobile home accessory to a commercial operating farm in Sharon town, for a full-time farm employee and that employee's family.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer must determine that required yards, sanitary facilities, removal assurance, and all other mobile-home provisions are met.

  accessory mobile homes: 1 mobile home (Only for residential quarters of a full-time employee of a commercial operating farm and the employee's family.)

  “One (1) mobile home shall be permitted as an accessory use to a farm where the location of the mobile home is in conjunction with a commercial, operating farm and for the sole purpose of providing residential quarters for a full-time employee, and the employees family, of the farm.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  A recreational living unit used as accessory temporary camping to a single-family dwelling inside Sharon town.

  • It must have fully self-contained sanitary facilities or sanitary facilities connected to an approved septic system.
  • The recreational unit is limited to 150 days per calendar year and must be removed at the end of that period, subject to the stated registered-RV storage exception.

  temporary camping limit: <= 150 days per calendar year (Registered recreational vehicles may be stored if a permanent dwelling exists on the lot.)

  “One recreational Living Unit (camping trailers, tents, or other recreational or temporary living quarters) will be allowed as an accessory to a single family dwelling unit in all zoning districts for the purpose of camping for temporary periods, not to exceed one hundred fifty (150) days per calendar year, and must have fully self-contained sanitary facilities or sanitary facilities connected to an approved septic system.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town Land Use Permits inside Sharon town.

  • Approval is subject to payment of a fee if the Town Board has established one.

  “Approval of the application shall be indicated by issuance of the Land Use Permit, subject to the payment of such fee as may have been established by the Town Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town Land Use Permit applications inside Sharon town.

  • Applicant submits two plot-plan copies and required information.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer must issue, deny, request information, or make a referral within ten days of receipt.
  • The permit is valid one year unless the Zoning Board of Appeals authorizes an extension.

  initial determination period: <= 10 days (From receipt of the application.) · permit validity: 1 year (Extension may be authorized by the Zoning Board of Appeals.)

  “The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue or refuse to issue the applied for Land Use Permit, or advise the applicant of any required additional information or referral required within ten (10) days of receipt of the application.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Sharon

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

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Sharon town that is required to conform to the New York Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • Certain exceptions are permitted under the local code-enforcement program.

  “Building permits must be required for any work which is required to conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code. Certain exceptions are permitted.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Sharon town; New York City's separate code is excepted, not Sharon town.

  • The Uniform Code is statewide and does not require affirmative local adoption.
  • The responsible enforcement entity may change only through the statutory local-government/county opt-out process.

  “Unlike the earlier State Building Construction Code and State Building Conservation and Fire Prevention Code, the Uniform Code does not need to be affirmatively adopted by a local government. It is in effect by directive of the State Legislature.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction subject to the Uniform Code or Energy Code inside Sharon town.

  • Inspections are for specified elements of the construction process.
  • Permit holders must keep work accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the local government.

  “Inspections of certain specified elements of the construction process must be required. Building permits holders must keep work accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the authority having jurisdiction.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts listed in Attachment I to the Sharon town Land Use Code.

  • The code identifies a Zoning Schedule as part of the local law; parcel-specific district mapping and schedule-table interpretation are required to select the applicable standard.

  “Permitted uses and uses requiring Special Permits in each of the above established districts, and a summary of the standards applicable thereto are set forth in Attachment I entitled "Zoning Schedule", which is hereby made a part of this Local Law.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Sharon town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside Sharon town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Sharon town.
• Who permits septic — On-site sewage disposal inside Sharon town.
• Septic permit — On-site sewage disposal inside Sharon 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.