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

Town of Spencer’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Spencer town that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • Section 73-4(B) provides exemptions.
  • A permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before work begins.

  “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.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings, structures, and premises inside the Town of Spencer.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 73.

  “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 Spencer in Tioga County.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction work inside Spencer town.

  • Listed construction elements must be inspected upon completion and before further construction, where applicable.
  • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when an element is ready for inspection.

  “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.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Spencer town.

  • All subdivisions must be reported to the Town Clerk within five working days after occurrence.
  • Subdivision development follows the staged Town Planning Board process.

  notification deadline: <= 5 working days after occurrence (Applies to all subdivisions.)

  “All subdivisions, including those that do not meet the definition of subdivision development, shall be made known within five working days after their occurrence by written notification to the Town Clerk.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Spencer town.

  • Applications must be written on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • The application must be signed by the property owner or authorized agent.
  • Work may not begin unless a building permit is issued.

  “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 an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Spencer

Town of Spencer does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal systems inside Spencer town.

  • The Town subdivision code requires approval of plans by the Tioga County Department of Environmental Health for all sewage disposal systems.

  “Approval of plans by the Tioga County Department of Environmental Health will be required for all sewage disposal systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New construction and repair of septic systems inside Spencer town.

  • The system must meet NYSDOH Residential Wastewater standards.
  • The Town code also requires Tioga County Department of Environmental Health approval of plans for all sewage disposal systems.

  “We work to prevent the spread of disease by ensuring proper design, construction, and operation of septic systems. A permit for new construction and repair of existing septic systems is required and must meet the standards set forth in NYSDOH Residential Wastewater.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Spencer town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Spencer town.
• Septic inspection — Private septic systems inside Spencer town.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Spencer town.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Spencer 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.