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

Town of Saugerties’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential construction and other work in the Town of Saugerties that must conform to the Uniform Code, Property Code, or Energy Code.

  • Except for the § 96-4B exemptions, a permit is required before work begins.
  • The listed exemptions include certain detached sheds, playhouses, or similar structures of 144 square feet or less; playground equipment; certain shallow above-ground pools; non-pool fences; certain retaining walls; temporary stage sets; certain awnings; short partitions or movable cases; finish work; listed portable equipment; like-for-like equipment replacement; and specified nonstructural repairs.
  • An exemption does not authorize noncompliant work.

  exempt detached accessory-structure gross floor area: <= 144 square feet (One-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses associated with qualifying dwellings.)

  “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, Property Code, and/or the Energy Code”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Saugerties.

  • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 96, all buildings, structures, and premises regardless of use or occupancy are subject to the article.

  “A certain document which is on file in the office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Saugerties, being marked and designated as the "Building Code of New York State, 2020 Edition," be and is hereby adopted as the Building Code of the Town of Saugerties in the State of New York”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under a Town of Saugerties building permit.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when a listed element is ready for inspection.
  • Inspections apply where applicable.

  “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

  Any work in the Town of Saugerties that is subject to a building permit, and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification.

  • The building or work must be inspected before issuance.
  • For a certificate, work must comply with the Uniform Code, Property Code, and Energy Code.
  • Where applicable, the applicant must provide required structural-observation or special-inspection documentation and flood-hazard certifications at the applicant's expense.

  “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 inside the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County, New York.

  • The chapter was amended in its entirety on 2008-04-16 and has subsequent amendments where applicable.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Saugerties 11-13-1989 by L.L. No. 3-1989; amended in its entirety 4-16-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Saugerties.

  • The Chapter 245 code page links to both a Schedule of District Use Regulations and a Schedule of District Area and Bulk Regulations.

  “ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 - Schedule of District Use Regulations Attachment 2 - Schedule of District Area and Bulk Regulations”

• Driveway accessLimited

  A driveway or entrance from property inside the Town of Saugerties to a public road or street.

  • Applies when attaching an entrance to a public road or street.
  • Approval or a permit may be from the Town, county, or state depending on the road.
  • It may not be required on private roads.

  “Driveway/approval or permit from Town, County or State if attaching an entrance to a public road or street. May not be required on private roads.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rental hosts in the Town of Saugerties only.

  • All hosts must comply with the Town registration process.
  • The Town states that its application materials are for the Town of Saugerties only.

  “The Town of Saugerties has begun enforcing new short-term rental regulations. All short-term rental hosts must comply with this registration process.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Saugerties Building Department applications and permits.

  • Additional engineering, attorney, and consulting fees are charged back to the applicant in addition to the application fee.
  • The linked Building Department Fee Schedule is stated to be effective 2026-01-01.

  “Building Department Fee Schedule (effective 1/1/2026)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications for construction inside the Town of Saugerties.

  • For new construction, the Town's published filing list includes the stated county waste-system permit where an on-site private system is installed, a well log, applicable driveway approval or permit, applicable Planning Board and Zoning Board approvals, surveys, plans, plot plan, fee payment, insurance information, and a signed application.
  • Public-road entrances may need Town, county, or state driveway approval or permit; it may not be required on private roads.

  “Question 3: What are the requirements for filing a building permit? Answer 3: 1. You must have a permit to construct waste system from Ulster County Board of Health if installing an on-site private system. 2. Backflow preventers or R.P.Z.'s on public water supply. 3. Well log for new construction.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Saugerties

Town of Saugerties 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)

  On-site private waste systems installed for construction inside the Town of Saugerties.

  • The Town identifies this permit as a prerequisite for filing a building permit when installing an on-site private system.

  “You must have a permit to construct waste system from Ulster County Board of Health if installing an on-site private system.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction involving an on-site private waste system inside the Town of Saugerties.

  • Applies when installing an on-site private system.
  • The permit is from the Ulster County Board of Health and is a Town building-permit filing prerequisite.

  “You must have a permit to construct waste system from Ulster County Board of Health if installing an on-site private system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing residences inside the Town of Saugerties.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside the Town of Saugerties.
• Minimum lot size — Single-family residential lots inside the Town of Saugerties.
• Setbacks — Single-family residential structures inside the Town of Saugerties.
• Lot coverage — Single-family residential lots inside the Town of Saugerties.

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.