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

Town of Canton’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Applicable construction work performed under a Town building permit inside Canton town.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • Remote inspection may substitute for in-person inspection at the Code Enforcement Officer's or authorized inspector's discretion when it provides the required level and quality of information.

  “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 Town building permit and conversion of a structure, building, or portion thereof to another use or occupancy classification inside Canton town.

  • Permission to use or occupy a building for which a building permit was issued is granted only by a 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 and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Canton, St. Lawrence County, New York.

  • The law includes its text and Zoning Map.

  “The title of this Chapter is the "Zoning Law of the Town of Canton" and shall include this text and Zoning Map.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New lots and lot development in the Rural (R) and Residential/Agriculture (RA) zoning districts inside Canton town.

  • Schedule B applies, subject to additional standards for specified uses.
  • Lot size and frontage may be reduced by 50% if served by a public/community water or sewer system.

  Rural (R) minimum lot size: 2 acres · Residential/Agriculture (RA) minimum lot size: 1 acre

  “Rural (R) 2 acres [...] Residential/Agriculture (RA) 1 acre”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal buildings in the Rural (R) and Residential/Agriculture (RA) zoning districts inside Canton town.

  • Front setbacks are measured from the street centerline and may be adjusted to the average of adjacent improved-lot setbacks.
  • The schedule is supplemented by other zoning-law provisions.

  Rural (R) front-yard minimum: >= 75 feet · Rural (R) side-yard minimum: >= 25 feet each side · Rural (R) rear-yard minimum: >= 50 feet · Residential/Agriculture (RA) front-yard minimum: >= 75 feet · Residential/Agriculture (RA) side-yard minimum: >= 50 feet total (At least 20 feet on one side.) · Residential/Agriculture (RA) rear-yard minimum: >= 30 feet

  “Rural (R) [...] 75 �. minimum [...] 25 �. each side 50 �. [...] Residen�al/Agriculture (RA) [...] 75 �. minimum [...] 50 �. total of both sides; 20 �. minimum one side 30 �.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal-use development in the Rural (R) and Residential/Agriculture (RA) districts inside Canton town.

  • Schedule B is supplemented by other zoning-law provisions.

  Rural (R) maximum impervious surface: <= 30 percent · Residential/Agriculture (RA) maximum impervious surface: <= 30 percent

  “Rural (R) [...] 30% [...] Residen�al/Agriculture (RA) [...] 30%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal-use development in the Rural (R) and Residential/Agriculture (RA) districts inside Canton town.

  • Agricultural silos and other agriculture-related buildings are exempt from the chapter's height restrictions.
  • Listed roof-level features and towers are excluded from height calculation subject to § 70-32(G).

  Rural (R) maximum building height: <= 35 feet · Residential/Agriculture (RA) maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “Silos and other buildings related to agriculture are exempt from the height restrictions of this Chapter.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles used as housing on owner-occupied residential lots and, under additional standards, undeveloped R and RA district lots inside Canton town.

  • On an owner-occupied residential lot, occupancy is limited to 30 days in a 12-month period and the RV must be in the side or rear yard.
  • An RV may temporarily house the owner during construction of a residential dwelling with a valid building permit.
  • On undeveloped R and RA lots, up to two RVs may be used for up to 120 days in 12 months, subject to the listed standards and principal-building setbacks.

  residential-lot RV occupancy: <= 30 days per 12-month period (Owner-occupied residential lot; side or rear yard only.) · undeveloped R/RA-lot RV occupancy: <= 120 days per 12-month period (Up to two RVs, one used by the property owner.)

  “A limit of up to two (2) recreational vehicles, one of which shall be utilized by the property owner, shall be permitted for a period of up to 120 days within a twelve (12) month period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping facilities outside a campground for special events inside Canton town.

  • The exemption applies only to special events of 72 hours or less and no more than twice in a calendar year.
  • A temporary permit from the Code Enforcement Office and compliance with any required Department of Health standards are required.

  special-event camping duration: <= 72 hours (No more than twice in a calendar year.)

  “Temporary camping facilities not located in a campground for special events of seventy-two (72) hours or less not more than twice in calendar year shall be exempt from the standards of this section, however, a temporary permit shall be required from the Code Enforcement Office and any required Department Health standards shall be met.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Tiny homes used as a primary dwelling on a lot inside Canton town.

  • A primary dwelling must have a foundation.
  • The rule expressly includes tiny homes and manufactured homes used as a primary dwelling.

  “Any dwelling to be used as the primary dwelling on a lot shall require a foundation. This definition shall include tiny homes and manufactured homes used as the primary dwelling on a lot.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Individual manufactured homes and manufactured-home parks inside Canton town.

  • Manufactured homes made after June 1976 must bear the U.S. HUD Seal.
  • Individual manufactured homes are subject to applicable single-family-dwelling provisions.
  • Primary-dwelling manufactured homes require a foundation.

  “All manufactured homes manufactured after June 1976 shall bear the U.S. HUD Seal. Individual manufactured homes are subject to all applicable portions of this Chapter pertaining to single family dwellings.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units inside Canton town, including the R-Rural District requirement stated in the zoning law.

  • The principal dwelling must be owner occupied in the R-Rural District.
  • An accessory dwelling in an accessory structure may not exceed 800 square feet.
  • The unit must be self-contained with separate cooking, sanitary, and sleeping facilities.

  accessory-structure ADU maximum size: <= 800 square feet (When the accessory dwelling unit is located in an accessory structure.)

  “The principal dwelling shall be owner occupied in the R-Rural District. Accessory dwelling units may be located in a principal or accessory structure but shall not exceed 800 square feet when located in an accessory structure.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural activities in a State Agricultural District inside Canton town.

  • The activity must meet the zoning law's agriculture definition.
  • It must be in a State Agricultural District as defined in Agriculture and Markets Law Article 25-AA and meet that article's farm-operation definition.

  “Agricultural activities meeting the definition of agriculture in this Chapter and located in a State Agricultural District as defined in Agriculture and Markets Law 25-AA and meeting the definition of farm operation as defined in the Agriculture and Markets Law 25-AA, §301(11) shall be exempt from the standards of this Section.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation or development of lots inside Canton town.

  • Lot creation/development must comply with Schedule B and may be subject to Chapter 56, Subdivision of Land, of the Town Code.

  “No lot shall be created or developed except as provided in this Section, Schedule B: Lot Dimensional Standards and as may be required in Chapter 56 Subdivision of Land of the Town of Canton Code.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Flag lots inside Canton town.

  • The rule applies to the driveway travel lane for the pole portion of a flag lot.

  driveway travel-lane width: >= 16 feet (Flag-lot pole portion.) · unobstructed clearance height: >= 13.6 feet (Flag-lot pole portion.)

  “Driveway travel lanes shall be at least sixteen (16) feet wide and shall have an unobstructed clearance height of thirteen point six (13.6) feet.”

• Permit processPartial

  Town building-permit applications for work inside Canton town.

  • The application is examined for Uniform Code and Energy Code compliance.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer issues the permit if proposed work complies.
  • Work may not begin until a permit is issued.

  “An application for a building permit shall be examined to ascertain whether the proposed work is in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and Energy Code. The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a building permit if the proposed work is in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and Energy Code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Canton town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Canton town.
• Who permits septic — On-site wastewater systems inside Canton town.
• Septic permit — Installation or replacement of an on-site wastewater system inside Canton town.
• Septic inspection — On-site wastewater-system inspections inside Canton 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.