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

Town of Parishville’s own rules

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Rental residences inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The cited provision concerns inspection of rented residences and references New York State Law 19NYCRR; it does not establish the full scope of state-code adoption or enforcement.

  “Any residence rented to persons other than the owner of record including single, double, and multi-family buildings shall be inspected by the Code Enforcement Officer between tenant changes or at least every three (3) years to ensure they comply with New York State Law 19NYCRR “Building Code of New York State” and with this Town’s Land Use and Development Local Law”

• InspectionsRequired

  Structures ready for final inspection inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The applicant must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when the structure is ready for final inspection.

  “The applicant shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when the structure is ready for final inspection. The Code Enforcement Officer shall then make a final inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Structures inside the Town of Parishville subject to the town land-use permit process.

  • The certificate is issued after final inspection if the regulations have been completed as specified on the approved application.
  • The code calls this a certificate of compliance with zoning laws.

  “If satisfied that the regulations pertaining to the project have been completed as specified on the approved application, the Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a certificate of compliance with the zoning laws, granting permission to occupy or use the structure.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

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

  • Zone boundaries are determined using the town zoning map; the Code Enforcement Officer makes initial boundary determinations subject to appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

  “For the purpose of promoting the public health, safety and general welfare of the Town of Parishville, the Town is hereby divided into the following types of zones:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The zoning map and explanatory material are part of the local law; the Code Enforcement Officer determines uncertain boundaries, subject to Zoning Board of Appeals review.

  “Land use and development code Zoning Map”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  The second dwelling created by a one-family-to-two-unit conversion in the Residential Zone inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The conversion requires a special permit and one unit must be owner occupied.

  minimum square footage for second dwelling: >= 350 square feet (Residential Zone conversion of a one-family dwelling into two units.)

  “The minimum square footage for the second dwelling is 350 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential development in the Residential and Rural Zones inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Other districts have separate dimensional schedules.

  Residential Zone minimum lot size: >= 1 acre (Residential Zone.) · Rural Zone minimum lot size: >= 2 acres (Rural Zone.)

  “4. Minimum lot size: one (1) acre. [...] 4. Minimum lot size: two (2) acres.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential development in the Residential and Rural Zones inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Waterfront setbacks apply in the Residential Zone as stated in the cited schedule.

  Residential Zone front setback: >= 75 feet (Measured from center line of road right-of-way.) · Residential Zone side setback: >= 15 feet (Total side setbacks of 30 feet.) · Rural Zone front setback: >= 75 feet (Rural Zone.) · Rural Zone side setback: >= 25 feet (Combined total of 50 feet.)

  “a. Front: seventy-five (75) feet. b. Side: Minimum of twenty-five (25) feet - with a combined total of fifty (50’). c. Rear: thirty (30) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Multiple-family dwelling developments inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Maximum density of eight units per acre applies provided all health and State Building Code requirements are met.

  maximum building lot coverage: <= 30 percent of total lot area (Multiple-family dwelling developments.)

  “The building lot coverage of multiple-family dwelling developments shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total lot area.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential development in the Residential and Rural Zones inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Other districts have separate height limits.

  Residential Zone maximum height: <= 35 feet (Residential Zone.) · Rural Zone maximum height: <= 35 feet (Rural Zone.)

  “3. Height: Maximum thirty-five (35) feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles in town-regulated campgrounds inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Campgrounds are occupied only by listed units suitable for temporary habitation and used for travel, vacation, and recreational purposes.
  • Wheel removal or placing a unit on a foundation in a campground is prohibited.

  “Campgrounds shall be occupied only by travel trailers, pick-up camper, motor homes, camping trailers, recreational vehicles and tents suitable for temporary habitation and used for travel, vacation and recreational purposes.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Class A mobile homes in the Residential Zone and Class A or B mobile homes in the Rural Zone inside the Town of Parishville.

  • Other zoning-district, permit, and dimensional provisions apply.

  “2. Class A mobile homes only. [...] 3. Mobile homes, Classes ‘A’ & ‘B’.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Conversion of a one-family dwelling into two units in the Residential Zone inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The conversion is a special-permit use.
  • One unit must be owner occupied and the second dwelling must contain at least 350 square feet.

  minimum square footage for second dwelling: >= 350 square feet (Conversion of a one-family dwelling into two units in the Residential Zone.)

  “Conversion of one-family dwelling into two (2) units, one (1) of which is owner occupied. The minimum square footage for the second dwelling is 350 square feet.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Subsurface disposal systems in the Town of Parishville Aquifer Protection Zone.

  • The code also requires applicable New York State sanitary-code standards and applies more-stringent county sanitary codes and town ordinances.
  • Systems over 1,000 gallons per day or treating non-residential wastewater are subject to applicable NYSDEC standards and permit requirements.

  “A permit is required for the installation of any subsurface disposal system. This permit must be obtained from the Code Officer.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of any subsurface disposal system in the Town of Parishville Aquifer Protection Zone.

  • Applications must include a certified engineering plan, independent verification of seasonally high groundwater and percolation rate, and provision for inspection before backfilling.

  “A permit is required for the installation of any subsurface disposal system. This permit must be obtained from the Code Officer. Applications for a permit shall include a certified engineering plan, verification of the seasonally high groundwater level and percolation rate by a disinterested party, and provisions for inspection of the installation prior to backfilling”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-site wastewater systems in the Town of Parishville Aquifer Protection Zone.

  • The Chief Water System Operator or designee must give ten days’ prior written notice mailed to the landowner’s address recorded in the Real Property Tax Office.

  “All on-site wastewater systems within this zone shall be periodically inspected by the Chief Water System Operator or his designee.”

• Agricultural exemptionNot available (with conditions)

  New agricultural buildings and structures inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The rule addresses the town building-permit requirement for buildings used for agriculture that are excepted from the cited New York State law.

  “All new buildings and structures in the Town of Parishville will require a building permit from the Town Code Enforcement Officer, even those excepted from New York State Law 19NYCRR “Building Code of New York State” including buildings used for agriculture, to ensure the building complies with this Land Use and Development Code.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of a parcel into four or more lots, plots, sites, or other divisions for transfer or building development within a five-year period inside the Town of Parishville.

  • A plan or map must be submitted to the Planning Board and either approved or deemed approved due to failure to decide within the code’s stated time.

  subdivision threshold: >= 4 lots, plots, sites, or other divisions (Within any five-year period for transfer of ownership or building development.)

  “From the effective date of this local law, the division of any parcel of lands into four (4) or more lots, plots, sites, or any other division of land for the purpose of transfer of ownership or for building development in any five (5) year period.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Permit applications inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The applicable non-refundable fee is established by the Town Board and collected when the application is submitted.
  • No current numeric fee schedule was located in the opened official materials.

  “Permit fees and application fees shall be paid to the Town Clerk according to the fee structure in effect at the time of application. The Town Board shall set and amend the permit fees and application fees by resolution duly passed by such Town Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Land-use and building permits inside the Town of Parishville.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer issues standard permits if the proposed use meets the regulations.
  • Special permits require Planning Board approval; permits after appeal or variance require a Zoning Board of Appeals order.
  • Permits expire if construction lacks a certificate of compliance one year after issuance, subject to an extension of up to twelve months for good reason when requested.

  issuance timing: <= 15 days after approval (When all local-law requirements have been met.)

  “When all requirements of this local law have been met, the Code Enforcement Officer shall issue to the applicant a permit no later than fifteen (15) days after approval.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential work inside the Town of Parishville.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Parishville.
• Well permit — Private wells inside the Town of Parishville.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside the Town of Parishville.
• Driveway access — New residential driveway access inside the Town of Parishville.

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.