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

Town of Sodus’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work subject to a Town building permit and buildings converted to another use or occupancy classification inside Sodus.

  • The CEO or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
  • Temporary occupancy may be allowed only under § 46-6D's safety conditions.

  “A certificate of occupancy or 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 Sodus.

  • Chapter 135 was adopted by the Town Board on November 6, 2024.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Sodus 11-6-2024 by L.L. No. 4-2024. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside the Town of Sodus.

  • The official zoning map is on file in the Code Enforcement Office.

  “In order to fulfill the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Sodus establishes and is hereby divided into the following zoning districts.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  RV or camper occupancy inside the Town of Sodus.

  • Occupancy is otherwise limited to approved and permitted manufactured-home or RV parks.
  • An owner's family or invited guest may occupy an RV/camper no more than 10 days in a calendar month; it cannot be a rental unit or be occupied on a lot without an existing one-, two-, or multiple-family residence, except in an approved park.

  temporary occupancy maximum: <= 10 days per calendar month (Owner's family or invited guest on property with an existing residence)

  “No camper or recreational vehicle shall be occupied within the Town of Sodus except in approved and permitted manufactured home parks or recreational vehicle parks with the exception that the temporary occupancy by family of the owner of the real property or the invited guest of the owner of the real property upon which the recreational vehicle or camper is located shall be permitted, provided that the recreational vehicle or camper not be occupied in excess of 10 days in a calendar month and in no event shall a recreational vehicle or camper be utilized as a rental unit or occupied upon a lot where there is no existing, one-, two- or multiple-family residence other than in an approved and permitted manufactured home or recreational vehicle park.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tents and temporary special-event structures inside the Town of Sodus.

  • The use table designates these uses SP in every zoning district; SP means temporary and/or conditional use contingent on a special-use permit and/or operating permit.
  • This finding does not establish rules for all forms of private camping.

  “Tents and temporary special event structures or membranes | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured-home occupancy inside the Town of Sodus.

  • A manufactured home is allowed only in a duly authorized manufactured-home park, except in circumstances qualifying for a temporary permit under Article III.
  • A manufactured-home park permit renews every two years.

  “A manufactured home will be permitted in the Town of Sodus only when located in a duly authorized manufactured home park, except that under certain circumstances a temporary permit may be obtained as provided in Article III of this chapter.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  All existing and proposed septic systems inside the Town of Sodus.

  • The Town law supplements state, county, and other applicable laws.
  • The Town CEO administers the chapter.

  “The Town official responsible for administering and enforcing this chapter and related laws.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, repair, installation, modification, replacement, or expansion of a septic system inside Sodus.

  • A permit is also required for increased living area or a change in use affecting wastewater flow.
  • The application requires the specified sealed system design, percolation tests, and deep-hole test.

  “A building permit is required prior to commencement of any construction, including the repair, installation, modification, replacement or expansion of any septic system and for any increase in living area or change in use affecting wastewater flow.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site wastewater systems inside Sodus where public sanitary sewer service is not available.

  • All work must follow State Public Health Law and regulations.
  • One principal building per system is allowed unless the CEO approves a shared engineered system with recorded maintenance agreements.

  “No more than one principal building shall be served by a single septic system unless a shared system is approved by the Code Enforcement Officer with engineered design and recorded maintenance agreements.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New buildings inside Sodus where public sanitary sewer service is available.

  • Upon connection, existing septic tanks must be pumped, abandoned, and filled as required.

  “Where public sanitary sewer service is available, new buildings shall connect. Upon connection, existing septic tanks shall be pumped, abandoned and filled as required.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Proposed subdivisions and resubdivisions in the Town of Sodus.

  • Approval is required before a sale contract, construction, grading, land development work, or a structure permit in the proposed subdivision.
  • All subdivisions are subject to SEQRA procedures.

  “Whenever any subdivision or resubdivision of land in the Town of Sodus is proposed, the subdividing owner or his authorized agent shall apply for and secure approval of such proposed subdivision before any contract for the sale of any part thereof is made. No construction, grading or land development work shall begin nor shall any permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed subdivision be granted prior to such approval.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rental of a single-family home inside the Town of Sodus.

  • An operating permit is required in every zoning district.
  • No more than 50 Town operating permits may be issued.
  • The CEO conducts a safety and compliance inspection before the initial permit and for renewal as applicable.

  maximum Town operating permits: <= 50 permits

  “The Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to issue revokable operating permits to property owners to use their single-family homes as short-term rentals according to the provisions of this chapter. A maximum number of 50 operating permits for short-term residential rental use shall be issued for the Town of Sodus.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town code-enforcement permits and certificates inside Sodus.

  • The fee schedule is established and may be amended by Town Board resolution.

  “A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Town Board. Such fee schedule may thereafter be amended from time to time by like resolution.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside the Town of Sodus.

  • Application is in writing on a CEO-approved form and is signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • The CEO evaluates code compliance.

  “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 Sodus

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

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways in the Highway Development Control District overlay inside the Town of Sodus.

  • The Highway Development Control District is superimposed on standard zoning districts.

  maximum drive width: <= 30 feet (Highway Development Control District)

  “Highway Development Control District is to be superimposed on the standard zone districts. The HDC maximum drive is 30 feet wide, and the front setback is 90 feet from highway right-of-way.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Sodus.
• Minimum dwelling size — New conventional dwelling units inside the Town of Sodus.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Sodus.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town of Sodus.
• Well permit — Private wells inside the Town of Sodus.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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