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

Town of New Paltz’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work within the Town of New Paltz that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • Exemptions in § 78-4B apply.
  • Work may not commence before obtaining a required permit 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 work within the Town of New Paltz.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The listed inspections apply where applicable, including final inspection.

  “To conduct construction inspections, inspections to be made prior to the issuance of certificates of occupancy/certificates of compliance, temporary certificates and operating permits, fire safety and property maintenance inspections, inspections incidental to the investigation of complaints, and all other inspections required or permitted under any provision of this chapter;”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification in the Town of New Paltz.

  • Use or occupancy after a building permit is granted only by certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.

  “A certificate of occupancy/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 within the Town of New Paltz, Ulster County, New York.

  • Chapter 140 was adopted by the Town Board; amendments noted in the official code apply.

  “This chapter regulates and restricts the location, construction, alteration, occupancy and use of buildings and structures and the use of land in the Town of New Paltz and, for said purposes, divides the Town into zoning districts.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within the Town of New Paltz.

  • The adopted Density Control Schedule is part of Chapter 140.

  “Density Control Schedule Town of New Paltz Zoning Law”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in the Town of New Paltz.

  • The application must be in writing on an acceptable form and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • It must contain enough information for the Code Enforcement Officer to determine compliance with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.

  “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.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of New Paltz

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Work in the Town of New Paltz subject to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  • The Code Enforcement Officer administers and enforces the Uniform Code, Energy Code, and Chapter 78.

  “The New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, Subchapter A of Chapter XXXIII of Title 19 of the NYCRR, adopted pursuant to Article 18 of the Executive Law, as amended from time to time.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Residence District in the Town of New Paltz.

  • One-half acre may be permitted in R-1 if municipal water and sewer are provided.
  • Subject to the Town Density Control Schedule and its notes.

  minimum lot area: 1 acre (One-half acre may be permitted if municipal water and sewer are provided)

  “One-half acre may be permitted in the R-1 District if municipal water and sewer are provided.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — A-1.5 Agriculture 1.5 District in the Town of New Paltz.

    “A-1.5 1.5 acres1150 150 50 20 50 20 2 1/2 35 65 35”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1.5 Agriculture 1.5 District in the Town of New Paltz.

  • The schedule columns identify minimum yards in feet; subject to schedule notes and applicable modification provisions.

  front yard: 50 feet · side yard: 20 feet · rear yard: 50 feet

  “A-1.5 1.5 acres1150 150 50 20 50 20 2 1/2 35 65 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 Residence District in the Town of New Paltz.

    “R-1 1.01 acres1,2 100 100 50 20 50 25 2 1/2 35 65 35”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1.5 Agriculture 1.5 District in the Town of New Paltz.

  • Subject to the Town Density Control Schedule and its notes.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “A-1.5 1.5 acres1150 150 50 20 50 20 2 1/2 35 65 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 Residence District in the Town of New Paltz.

    “R-1 1.01 acres1,2 100 100 50 20 50 25 2 1/2 35 65 35”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1.5 Agriculture 1.5 District in the Town of New Paltz.

  • The Article III exception for listed roof structures applies if aggregate coverage does not exceed 10% of roof area.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (2 1/2 stories)

  “A-1.5 1.5 acres1150 150 50 20 50 20 2 1/2 35 65 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 Residence District in the Town of New Paltz.

    “R-1 1.01 acres1,2 100 100 50 20 50 25 2 1/2 35 65 35”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sanitary septic systems proposed to serve an accessory dwelling unit inside the Town of New Paltz.

  • The county approval must find the system adequate to provide sanitary septic disposal for the proposed ADU before the local Code Enforcement Officer may grant the ADU permit.

  “No permit may be granted by the Code Enforcement Officer until the on-site sanitary septic system has been approved by the Ulster County Health Department as adequate to provide sanitary septic disposal for the proposed accessory dwelling unit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in the Town of New Paltz.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal single-family dwellings in Town zoning districts.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land in the Town of New Paltz.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in the Town of New Paltz.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in the Town of New Paltz.

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.