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

Town of Madrid’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings, structures, and appurtenant systems erected, added to, or structurally altered inside Madrid town.

  • A written order of the Board of Appeals is the stated exception.
  • The proposed construction, addition, alteration, or use may not violate the local law.

  “No building, structure or appurtenant system shall be erected, added to, or structurally altered until a Permit therefore has been issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land and buildings erected, altered, used, or changed in use inside Madrid town.

  • The town calls the approval a Certificate of Compliance.
  • It must state that the building, structure, system, and proposed use comply with the local law.

  “No land shall be occupied or used and no building, structure or system hereafter erected, altered or exhausted shall be used or changed in use until a Certificate of Compliance shall have been issued by the Enforcement Officer”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within the Town of Madrid, St. Lawrence County, New York.

  • The code applies to construction, installation, alteration, and land use within the Town of Madrid.

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

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds and campsites inside Madrid town.

  • A campground must have at least five acres.
  • A building and zoning permit and operating permit are required for a campground.
  • Existing campgrounds are exempt unless an addition, expansion, or alteration is proposed, but must obtain an annual operating permit.

  minimum campground parcel size: 5 acres

  “Any campground shall have a minimum parcel size of five (5) acres and have minimum individual campsite areas as determined by the Planning Board.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm operations in agricultural districts adopted by Madrid town and certified under New York Agriculture and Markets Law Article 25-AA.

  • The use is limited to farm operations as defined in Article 25-AA.
  • The area must be within an agricultural district adopted by the town and certified by the Commissioner of Agriculture.

  ““farm operations” as defined in Article 25-AA of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, shall be a permitted principal use in all areas located within an agricultural district adopted by the Town of Madrid and certified by the Commissioner of Agriculture”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Madrid town building and zoning permits and certificates of compliance.

  • Fees are established by the Town Board; the opened source did not provide the current dollar schedule.

  “Fees for a Building and Zoning Permit and Certificate of Compliance shall be as established by the Town Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and zoning permit applications inside Madrid town.

  • The application must include two copies of a scaled layout or plot plan.
  • The plan must show lot dimensions, building and accessory-building size and location, and water-supply and sewage-disposal information.
  • The Enforcement Officer reviews applications and normally notifies the applicant within ten days; Planning Board review can extend that period.

  initial review notice: <= 10 days (May be extended following Planning Board review under Section 83(E).)

  “The Code Enforcement Officer will review the application and notify the applicant of the approval, disapproval, or such further review or other procedures as may be necessary within ten (10) days.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Madrid town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption and enforcement inside Madrid town.
• Inspections — Ordinary residential construction inside Madrid town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Primary one- and two-family dwellings inside Madrid town.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Madrid 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.