Bolthole Index

Washington County, New York

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

Town of Cambridge is a town in Washington County, New York. Town of Cambridge has not adopted its own zoning; the county’s or state’s rules apply inside its limits. Septic permits inside Town of Cambridge come from Washington County (Washington County Department of Code Enforcement · (518) 746-2150). 15 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Washington County page.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Cambridge

Town of Cambridge’s own rules

  • Local zoningAbsent

    Land inside the Town of Cambridge (Washington County, NY) limits. The town's own board minutes state it has no zoning. This is not a claim about the Village of Cambridge or the county's unincorporated area.

    • Statement comes from the Town Board's approved October 2025 minutes (a Supervisor remark during a solar/BESS moratorium discussion), not from an adopted zoning code; no town zoning ordinance was located on the town site.
    • Town code enforcement is contracted to Washington County; the county enforces the NYS Uniform Code and the Washington County Sanitary Code, not zoning.
    • Town Board minutes of 2025 reference a solar and battery storage moratorium, which is a town-level land-use restriction for those system types only.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • Zoning districtsNot published

    Land inside the Town of Cambridge limits: no zoning districts are published because the town has no zoning.

    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement in approved October 2025 minutes.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeNone

    New dwellings inside the Town of Cambridge limits. No town zoning sets a minimum dwelling size.

    • NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code habitability and egress requirements still apply through Washington County code enforcement.
    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • Minimum lot sizeNone

    Land inside the Town of Cambridge limits, all residential uses. No zoning district exists, so no single-family or rural-residential district minimum lot size applies from town law.

    • Washington County Sanitary Code and septic/well rules still govern lot suitability for on-site systems.
    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • SetbacksNone

    Structures inside the Town of Cambridge limits. No town zoning sets setbacks.

    • Setbacks from wells and septic components are set by the county sanitary code and state rules, which were not verified here.
    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • Lot coverageNone

    Parcels inside the Town of Cambridge limits. No town zoning sets lot coverage.

    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”
  • Building heightNone

    Structures inside the Town of Cambridge limits. No town zoning sets building height.

    • Based on the town's own no-zoning statement.
    “it was suggested that we make sure to be careful how things were worded because the town of cambridge has no zoning.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Cambridge

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

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside the Town of Cambridge that must conform to the uniform codes or the Sanitary Code, permitted by Washington County Code Enforcement under the town's contract.

    • Permit applications are reviewed by county code enforcement; processing time and document list are on the county's building permit application PDF, which could not be extracted.
    • Schema scope note: county-kind scope recorded as countywide because the county rule is countywide; it is applied inside Cambridge town under the town's contract with the county.
    “review plans and issue permits for all work that must conform to the uniform codes and the washington county sanitary code.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside the Town of Cambridge limits. The NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code is enforced locally by Washington County Code Enforcement under the town's contract.

    • Adoption and enforcement are by the state code; county enforces it.
    “this department enforces the new york state uniform fire prevention and building codes and the washington county sanitary code, local law no. 1 of 1988.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction inside the Town of Cambridge, inspected by Washington County Code Enforcement under the town's contract.

    • Inspection stages are not listed on the county page; the page says only that onsite inspections are performed during various stages of construction.
    “perform onsite inspections during various stages of construction.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings inside the Town of Cambridge issued through Washington County Code Enforcement.

    • Certificates of occupancy are issued when compliance with the uniform codes and/or sanitary code has been fulfilled; temporary certificate fee is on the county fee schedule ($100).
    “issue certificates of occupancy and/or certificates of compliance when compliance with the uniform codes and/or sanitary code has been fulfilled.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Sewage disposal systems on land inside the Town of Cambridge. Washington County Code Enforcement administers the Washington County Sanitary Code for the town under the town's code enforcement contract.

    • Schema scope note: county-kind scope recorded as countywide because the county rule is countywide; it is applied inside Cambridge town under the town's contract with the county.
    “this department enforces the new york state uniform fire prevention and building codes and the washington county sanitary code, local law no. 1 of 1988.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New or altered on-site sewage disposal systems on land inside the Town of Cambridge, permitted by Washington County Code Enforcement.

    • Inferred from the county's published sewage disposal system permit fee and the county's statement that it issues permits for work conforming to the Sanitary Code; the county page does not quote a sentence saying a permit must be obtained, and the permit scope (new vs. repair) is not verified.
    • Permit must be issued before work begins, per the county's general permit practice (building permit application PDF could not be extracted).

    sewage disposal system permit fee: 75 USD

    “sewage disposal system permit $75 solar panels permit residential up to 12kw $50.00”
  • Permit feesPublished

    County code enforcement permits for work inside the Town of Cambridge.

    • Fee schedule lists residential building work at $0.15 per square foot ($50 minimum), sewage disposal permit $75, and temporary certificate of occupancy $100; the fee schedule is undated on the page.
    • Fees for towns and villages were waived by a 2012 committee decision per an earlier county search result (not verified on the fee page).

    sewage disposal system permit fee: 75 USD

    “residential $0.15 per square foot, $50 minimum residential car ports, decks, porches (unconditioned space) $50 sewage disposal system permit $75”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit process for work inside the Town of Cambridge, run by Washington County Code Enforcement.

    • Known: county reviews plans and issues permits; the county's Building Permit Application (PDF fill-in) and sewage disposal system application exist. Step-by-step process, documents, and timelines are in those PDFs, which could not be extracted.
    “review plans and issue permits for all work that must conform to the uniform codes and the washington county sanitary code.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside the Town of Cambridge limits.
  • Septic inspection — On-site sewage disposal systems inside the Town of Cambridge limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid or non-connected sanitation inside the Town of Cambridge limits.
  • Well permit — Private water wells inside the Town of Cambridge limits.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside the Town of Cambridge limits: public water/sewer connection rule.
5 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Cambridge publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Off-grid gear

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

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