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

Town of Shawangunk’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, improvement, demolition, conversion, or change in occupancy of a building or structure, or use of land, inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • Separate permit required for each building, structure, or use of land.
  • § 66-5 identifies exempt work or uses.

  “No person, firm, corporation or other entity shall commence the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, improvement, demolition, conversion or change in the nature of the occupancy of any building or structure or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate building permit from the Building Department for each such building or structure or use of land.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a building permit, occupancy/use conversions, and land uses subject to final Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals plan approval inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • Temporary occupancy procedures and additional requirements are cross-referenced to Town Code Chapter 66, § 66-8.

  “A certificate of occupancy or a certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, uses or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or sub-classification to another.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York.

  • Zoning is administered through the Town's adopted zoning law and zoning map.

  “The Town of Shawangunk is made up of the following zoning districts:”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  All zoning districts inside the Town of Shawangunk, including Residential-Agricultural districts.

  • Minimum lot areas are based on lot size without central water and sewer.
  • Schedule I supplies the district-specific bulk requirements.

  “Minimum lot areas are based on the lot size without central water and sewer. See Schedule I at the end of this Chapter for the bulk requirements applicable to each district.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings and open space in Town of Shawangunk zoning districts.

  • Development must conform to the yard, lot-area, and building-location regulations designated for its district.

  “No building shall be erected and no existing building shall be altered, enlarged or rebuilt, nor shall any open space surrounding any building be encroached upon or reduced in any manner, except in conformity with the yard, lot area and building location regulations hereinafter designated for the district in which such building or open space is located.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Accessory-dwelling parcels and other governed development in Town of Shawangunk zoning districts.

  • For accessory dwellings, lot coverage may not increase by more than 10% and may not otherwise exceed the district maximum.

  maximum additional lot coverage for accessory dwelling alterations/additions: <= 10 percent (The maximum lot coverage also may not exceed the applicable zoning-district requirement.)

  “The maximum lot coverage shall not otherwise exceed that required for the zoning district within the parcel is located.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles in Town of Shawangunk recreational-vehicle campsites.

  • A recreational-vehicle park requires a Planning Board special-use permit and Town Clerk license.
  • The Town license expires January 1 following issuance and may be renewed for one-year periods.
  • No vehicle may be used as a permanent residence.

  “No vehicle shall be used as a permanent residence.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured-home parks inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • The Building Inspector inspects premises before commencement and at least semiannually thereafter.
  • The cited provision governs park operation, not all potential individual manufactured-home placements.

  park inspection frequency: per 2 year (Inspection occurs before a mobile-home park commences operation and at least semiannually thereafter.)

  “Before the mobile home park commences operation and at least semiannually thereafter, the Building Inspector shall make an inspection of the premises to determine that all requirements of this chapter have been and are being complied with.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwellings in zoning districts where a single-family dwelling is allowed as a permitted or special use inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • One accessory dwelling may be established in an eligible owner-occupied single-family detached dwelling.
  • Ulster County Department of Health approval of sanitary sewer and water systems is required.
  • The unit must receive a Town Building Inspector certificate of occupancy before occupancy.
  • Accessory-dwelling unit size is 400 to 650 gross square feet and may not exceed 30% of principal dwelling floor area.

  minimum accessory-dwelling gross floor area: >= 400 square feet · maximum accessory-dwelling gross floor area: <= 650 square feet · maximum share of principal dwelling floor area: <= 30 percent

  “The accessory dwelling unit shall be at least 400 square feet gross floor area but no more than 650 square feet gross floor area.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Individual sewage treatment systems in areas tributary to the Town's MS4.

  • The rule concerns failing individual sewage treatment systems in areas tributary to the municipality's MS4.

  “No persons shall operate a failing individual sewage treatment system in areas tributary to the municipality’s MS4.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats showing lots, blocks, or sites subject to Town subdivision regulations inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • Subdivision review procedures are in Chapter 152 of the Town Code.
  • Such plats are not subject to the cited site-plan review section.

  “Plats showing lots, blocks or sites which are subject to review under the subdivision regulations of the town as set forth in Chapter 152 of the Code of the Town of Shawangunk shall continue to be subject to such review procedures and shall not be subject to review under this section.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • The Town's ordinance index identifies a Short Term Rental Safety and Inspection License local law.
  • Accessory dwellings may not be converted to a short-term rental within five years after receiving a certificate of occupancy.

  ADU conversion restriction after certificate of occupancy: < 5 years (An accessory dwelling unit may not be converted to a short-term rental during this period.)

  “Short term Rental Safety and Inspection License Local Law No. 3 of 2025”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • Application must include sufficient information to determine compliance with Uniform Code, Town Code Chapter 66, zoning, and applicable prior approvals.
  • Required materials include a description and cost estimate, tax-map number/address, occupancy classification, construction documents, Town application form, applicable fees, owner endorsement if applicant is not owner, and plot-plan information.

  “An application for a building permit shall include sufficient information to permit a determination that the intended work accords with the requirements of the Uniform Code, of Chapter 66 of the Code of the Town, of Chapter 177 of the Code of the Town and of any applicable order, approval and final plan of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Shawangunk and shall require submission of at least the following information and documentation:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Shawangunk

Town of Shawangunk 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)

  Sanitary sewer and water-system approval for accessory dwellings inside the Town of Shawangunk.

  • The Town Building Inspector may also require Town Engineer review of septic and well adequacy.

  “An applicant seeking an accessory dwelling permit shall obtain approval of all sanitary sewer and water systems from the Ulster County Department of Health.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Shawangunk.
• Inspections — Residential building work inside the Town of Shawangunk.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the Town of Shawangunk's principal residential and residential-agricultural districts.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Town of Shawangunk.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside the Town of Shawangunk.

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.