Bolthole Index

Schuyler County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Montour, New York

The Town of Montour, in Schuyler County, New York, requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the state Uniform Code1. The town also adopts its own zoning, with a Rural Development district and a Business district2. Septic permits are a separate authority: Schuyler County Public Health's Watershed Protection Agency3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must meet the NYS Uniform Code or Energy Code, issued by the town1
Zoning
Town zoning (Chapter 175) with Rural Development and Business districts2
Septic
Permit required; Schuyler County Watershed Protection Agency3
Minimum home size
900 square feet of livable floor area for single-family dwellings, manufactured homes included4
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work that needed a building permit5
Waterfront yard
At least 100 feet deep on DEC-classified water bodies, except boathouses and docks6

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Montour Building Inspector / Code Enforcement

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy for the Town of Montour; the town's zoning ordinance and planning board

(607) 535-9476

Septic permits

Schuyler County Public Health, Watershed Protection Agency

Wastewater (septic) construction permits under the county Watershed Protection Law

607-535-8140

910 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY 14891

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Montour, NY?

Yes. The Town of Montour requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or the Energy Code1. The town adopted its own enforcement chapter in 2022, and the code enforcement officer inspects work before it is covered78.

Some small jobs are exempt, such as a one-story detached structure of 144 square feet or less that is not used as a dwelling1. An exemption does not authorize work that violates the Uniform Code1. Applications go in writing on a form the code enforcement officer accepts9. A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required for any work that needed a building permit5.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Montour, and how do you reach them?

The town's own code enforcement officer issues building permits and inspections for the Town of Montour, not Schuyler County7. The town lists its Building Inspector at (607) 535-9476, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 579, Montour Falls, NY 14865-057910. Office hours on the town page are limited, so call before you drive over10.

The Village of Montour Falls is a separate municipality inside the town with its own page on the county site; this guide covers the Town of Montour. We could not confirm the town's permit fees, so ask the building inspector for the current schedule.

Does the Town of Montour have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Montour is divided into zoning districts, including Rural Development (RD) and Business (B-1)2. Single-family dwellings, manufactured homes included, need at least 900 square feet of livable floor area4. Manufactured homes are treated as limited: district use permissions sit in the schedule of district regulations11.

Any yard bordering a DEC-classified lake, stream or body of water must be at least 100 feet deep, except for boathouses and docks6. Detached accessory structures must stay at least 10 feet from side and rear lot lines, and accessory buildings may not cover more than 50% of the rear yard; agricultural uses are exempt from both612. Agricultural activities and single-family home construction are excepted from the approval required when land use changes13.

We could not confirm minimum lot sizes, RV occupancy or accessory dwelling rules, because those sit in the town's district schedule. Ask the building inspector for the town zoning schedule.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Montour?

Septic permits come from Schuyler County, not the town. Schuyler County requires a wastewater treatment system permit for new construction and certain alterations, installations, replacements and repairs3. The county's Watershed Protection Agency administers it and no part of a system may be covered until inspected and approved14. Reach the agency at 607-535-8140 or 910 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen15.

The town's own code does not address septic systems that we could find, so confirm with the agency that the county law covers your parcel. A system within a 100-year floodplain must keep a one-foot separation distance from the water table16. Across Schuyler County only about 2.2% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

Building a home in the Town of Montour: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Town of Montour Building Inspector at (607) 535-9476 to confirm the zoning district and what your project needs10.
  2. Check driveway access: work in a Schuyler County road right-of-way needs county Highway Department permits18, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a state permit19.
  3. Get the Schuyler County septic permit from the Watershed Protection Agency before you build3.
  4. Apply for the building permit on the town's form9.
  5. Keep work exposed until the code enforcement officer inspects it8.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before use5.

What stays with Schuyler County, and what to check before you buy in the Town of Montour

Septic permits and watershed protection stay with Schuyler County20. Zoning does not: the county has no authority to zone unincorporated land, so the town zoning ordinance governs21. For land outside the town, see the Schuyler County page.

Before buying, confirm the zoning district on the town's zoning map, the waterfront yard rule if the parcel touches a classified water body6, and flood zone status with the town (we could not confirm the town's floodplain chapter). Schuyler County's effective property tax rate is 1.9%22.

Watch-outs

  • The schedule of district regulations holds lot sizes, height limits and use permissions, and we could not confirm those; ask the Town of Montour Building Inspector before you buy23.
  • Septic, well, RV occupancy, camping and short-term rental rules inside the town could not be confirmed; call the Schuyler County Watershed Protection Agency for septic15.
  • Montour Falls is a separate village, so a Montour Falls address does not tell you whether the town or the village issues permits; confirm the municipality first7.

Sources

  1. Town of Montour Code Ch. 83 Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  3. Building Permit Cover Letter and Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Montour Code Ch. 83 Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Montour Code Ch. 83 Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Montour Code Ch. 83 Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Montour Code Ch. 83 Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Montour Building Inspector / Code Enforcement (schuylercountyny.gov)
  11. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked
  14. Watershed Policy, quoted and re-checked
  15. Schuyler County Public Health, Watershed Protection Agency (schuylercounty.us)
  16. County of Schuyler Watershed Protection Law, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Hauling and Construction Permits, quoted and re-checked
  19. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Watershed Protection Agency | Schuyler County, NY, quoted and re-checked
  21. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Town of Montour Code Ch. 175 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Town of Montour), quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 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 Town of Montour

Town of Montour’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work requiring conformance to the Uniform Code or Energy Code inside Town of Montour

    • Exemptions in § 83-4(b), e.g. one-story detached non-dwelling structures not exceeding 144 square feet, window awnings, certain repairs.
    • Exemption is not authorization for work violating the Uniform Code.

    exempt accessory structure floor area: <= 144 sq ft (one-story detached, not used for dwelling purposes)

    “a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the uniform code and/or the energy code”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All buildings and structures inside Town of Montour

    • Adopted by L.L. No. 3-2022 on 12-13-2022; enforces the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code.
    “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code) and the state energy conservation construction code (the energy code) in the town of montour.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside Town of Montour

    • Applies where elements of work are applicable, inspected by code enforcement officer or authorized inspector.
    “work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the code enforcement officer or by an inspector authorized by the code enforcement officer.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a building permit and use/occupancy conversions inside Town of Montour

    • Certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.
    “a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Town of Montour (Chapter 175 Zoning)

    • Zoning map and schedule of district regulations are attachments not reviewed.
    “the town of montour is hereby divided into the following types of districts: rd rural development b-1 business”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Town of Montour

    • Floodplain overlay and PCD planned commercial development districts also provided for.
    “the town of montour is hereby divided into the following types of districts: rd rural development b-1 business”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings including manufactured homes inside Town of Montour, all districts

    minimum livable floor area: >= 900 sq ft

    “single-family dwellings, including manufactured (mobile) homes, shall have a minimum of 900 square feet of livable floor area.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Yards bordering NYS DEC classified water bodies and detached accessory structures inside Town of Montour; main district yard minimums are in the unopened schedule

    • Boathouses and docks excepted from waterfront yard rule.
    • Accessory structures of agricultural uses exempt.

    waterfront yard depth: >= 100 feet (boathouses and docks) · detached accessory structure distance from side or rear lot line: >= 10 feet (agricultural uses exempt)

    “any yard which borders on a new york state department of environmental conservation classified lake, stream or body of water shall be not less than 100 feet in depth except for boathouses and docks.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Accessory buildings in rear yards inside Town of Montour

    • Agricultural uses exempt; overall district coverage limits are in the unopened schedule.

    accessory building aggregate coverage of rear yard: <= 50 percent (agricultural uses exempt)

    “the aggregate ground area covered by any accessory buildings in any rear yard shall not exceed 50% of the rear yard area.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures in RD and B-1 districts inside Town of Montour

    • Exceptions for spires, farm buildings, towers and similar under 150 feet; numeric maxima are in the unopened schedule.
    “no building or structure shall exceed in building height the number of feet permitted as a maximum on the schedule of district regulations”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured (mobile) homes as single-family dwellings inside Town of Montour

    • Must meet 900 sq ft minimum livable floor area; district use permissions are in the unopened schedule.

    minimum livable floor area: >= 900 sq ft

    “single-family dwellings, including manufactured (mobile) homes, shall have a minimum of 900 square feet of livable floor area.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural activities inside Town of Montour

    • Exemption is from the land-use change approval requirement and accessory structure standards; other approvals may apply.
    “an approval shall be required whenever a change in land use occurs, regardless of whether or not any new construction is involved hereunder, excepting agricultural activities and single-family home construction.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permits inside Town of Montour

    • Application signed by owner or authorized agent; fee due at submission.
    “applications for a building permit shall be made, in writing, on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the code enforcement officer.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Town of Montour
  • Minimum lot size — RD Rural Development and B-1 Business districts inside Town of Montour
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Town of Montour
  • Camping on your land — Camping inside Town of Montour
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwellings inside Town of Montour
11 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Town of Montour publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Schuyler County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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