Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hornell, New York

Hornell’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Hornell city limits that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code.

  • Chapter 148 § 148-4(B) lists exemptions.
  • Work may not commence before the required permit is obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer.

  “Building permits required. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Hornell city limits.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • Inspections apply where applicable, including a final inspection after permitted work is completed.

  “Work to remain accessible and exposed. 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. The permit holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings or structures inside Hornell city limits for which a building permit has been issued.

  • A Certificate of Occupancy must be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer before occupancy or use.
  • The certificate states compliance with the state Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, zoning, and applicable variance, special-use-permit, or site-plan-approval terms.

  “Certificate of occupancy. In all districts and any overlay zone, no building or structure for which a building permit has been issued shall be occupied or used unless the Code Enforcement Officer issues a Certificate of Occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hornell city limits.

  • The chapter was adopted by the Common Council and has subsequent amendments.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Hornell 4-26-1971 (Ch. 25 of the 1970 Municipal Code); amended in its entirety 10-23-2000 by L.L. No. 1-2000. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Hornell city limits.

  • The fee must be paid when submitting an application for a building permit, amended permit, or renewal.
  • The dollar schedule was not retrieved.

  “Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 148-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Hornell city limits.

  • Applications must be in writing, on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The application must be signed by the owner or an authorized agent.
  • Required information and documents are determined under § 148-4(D).

  “Applications for building permits. Applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or by an authorized agent of the owner.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hornell or Steuben County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Hornell city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — One-family dwellings in the R-1 Residential District inside Hornell city limits.
• Lot coverage — One-family dwellings in Hornell's R-1 Residential District.
• Living in an RV — Residential RV occupancy on private land inside Hornell city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Hornell city limits.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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