Bolthole Index

Yates County, New York

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

The Town of Jerusalem in Yates County, New York requires a building permit for new construction, additions and most other work covered by the state Uniform Code, and its Code Enforcement Officer issues it1. The town also adopted its own zoning, Chapter 160 of the town code2. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the town, so ask the NYS Department of Health's Geneva District Office before you buy3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Town for work that must meet the Uniform Code1
Zoning
Yes, town zoning (Chapter 160) with AGR, R1, R2, R3, B1 and BSP districts24
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work and for changes of use5
Septic
Not confirmed for the town; NYS Department of Health Geneva District Office is the lead contact6
Floodplain
Development permit required in mapped flood hazard areas7
Property tax (Yates County)
Effective rate about 1.9%8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Jerusalem Department of Building, Planning, and Zoning (Code Enforcement Officer)

Building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, zoning questions and zoning or planning board applications in the Town of Jerusalem

(315) 595-2284

[email protected]

3816 Italy Hill Road, Branchport, NY 14418

Also useful

Town of Jerusalem Town Clerk

Town forms and applications, including building permit, zoning, subdivision and highway driveway/culvert forms

315-595-6668

[email protected]

Septic permits

New York State Department of Health, Geneva District Office

Environmental health district office covering Yates County; the place to confirm onsite wastewater (septic) requirements

(315) 789-3030

[email protected]

624 Pre Emption Road, Geneva 14456-1334

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does the Town of Jerusalem have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Jerusalem adopted its own zoning law, Chapter 160 of the town code2. Yates County does not run zoning for the town; zoning is set by the towns and villages9.

The town code establishes six use districts: AGR Agricultural-Residential, R1 Residential-Lakeshore, R2 Residential-Public Sewers, R3 Residential - Indian Pines, B1 General Business and BSP Branchport Service Park4. Land not placed in another district falls in AGR, and R2 is limited to lots in the Keuka Park Sewer District as of 19964.

We could not confirm the minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, accessory dwellings or rules for RVs and tiny homes in each district. The Town directs applicants to check the interactive zoning map and its code, and the Department of Building, Planning, and Zoning can tell you what applies to a specific parcel10.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Jerusalem, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Jerusalem requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition of a building, and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance or chimney1. Work may not start until the Town issues the permit1.

The Town runs its own code program under Chapter 65 of its code, which enforces the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code in the town11. The Code Enforcement Officer reviews applications and inspects the work12. A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required for permitted work and for buildings changing use5.

The Town publishes a building permit guide and a fee schedule, and calculates the fee once the application is complete13. We could not confirm any owner-builder exemption from the town's permit rules, so assume an owner building their own home needs the same permit.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Jerusalem?

We could not confirm which office issues septic permits for new systems in the Town of Jerusalem. The town's own materials point to Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District assistance and state Department of Health approval for alternative systems, but do not name the final permitting authority.

Statewide, a state discharge permit is not required for small residential systems, yet approval may still be needed from the city or county health department or the district office of the NYS Department of Health before construction14. Yates County has no independent environmental health permitting, and the Geneva District Office of the NYS Department of Health is the lead agency6. Call that office before you sign a purchase contract3.

For an alternative system, a state or county health official must review and approve the design before construction15. Soils matter too: in Yates County only about 12% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16. The building permit application also asks for wastewater plans10.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Town of Jerusalem?

We could not confirm whether the Town of Jerusalem allows RV or tiny-home living on private land. The town's zoning and building chapters would decide it, and we could not confirm an occupancy provision in either. The same is true for temporary camping, accessory dwellings and manufactured-home placement, although the town's building permit guide lists manufactured homes among the projects that need a building permit10.

A statewide rule about camping at state Department of Environmental Conservation campgrounds does not answer whether you can live on your own land17. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer in writing before you buy or move anything onto a lot, and keep the answer.

Building a home in the Town of Jerusalem: the steps, in order

  1. Check the parcel's zoning district on the town's zoning map and review the relevant town code chapters18.
  2. Ask the Department of Building, Planning, and Zoning whether the project needs a zoning variance, steep-slope review or planning board approval; if so, the building permit application will be denied until those are handled10.
  3. If you are dividing land, the town regulates minor and major subdivisions, and a written application is required before conveyance of a minor subdivision19.
  4. Confirm the septic approach with the NYS Department of Health Geneva District Office3.
  5. Submit the building permit application with building plans, plot plans, wastewater plans and workers' compensation insurance or exemption forms10.
  6. Pay the fee after review, then schedule inspections as work proceeds18.
  7. Finish all inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in5.

What stays with Yates County, and what should you check before you buy?

Yates County does not zone land in the town, but county rules still apply to a few things. A driveway that meets a Yates County road needs prior approval from the county Highway Department, and the county publishes driveway fees by class20. A driveway on a state highway needs a state Department of Transportation permit21. The Town also publishes its own driveway/culvert permit application; we could not confirm exactly when it is mandatory22.

Building in a mapped flood hazard area requires a floodplain development permit from the Town, and the Code Enforcement Officer is the Local Administrator7. Short-term rentals in Yates County must register with the county Department of Finance, and the town may add its own requirements23.

For land outside the town, see the Yates County page. Yates County's effective property tax rate is about 1.9%8.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the Town of Jerusalem; call the NYS Department of Health Geneva District Office before closing3.
  • Lot size, setbacks and lot coverage vary by zoning district and were not confirmed here, so ask the Code Enforcement Officer which district your parcel is in before you plan a house4.
  • A zoning variance or planning board application can cause the town to deny a building permit application until those are resolved10.
  • The town moved its website from jerusalem-ny.org to jerusalem-ny.gov; use the .gov address for current forms22.

Sources

  1. Chapter 65: Building Construction, Fire Prevention and Energy Conservation - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 160: Zoning - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  3. New York State Department of Health, Geneva District Office (health.ny.gov)
  4. Article III: Establishment of Use Districts - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 65: Building Construction, Fire Prevention and Energy Conservation - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  6. Yates County Environmental Health (2026 county census)
  7. Chapter 87: Flood Damage Prevention - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  8. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  9. Government Operations Minutes, February 1, 2021 (2026 county census)
  10. Town of Jerusalem Department of Building, Planning, and Zoning (Code Enforcement Officer) (jerusalem-ny.org)
  11. Chapter 65: Building Construction, Fire Prevention and Energy Conservation - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 65: Building Construction, Fire Prevention and Energy Conservation - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Jerusalem Forms and Applications (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  14. State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Program (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. NYS Register March 18, 2015 Rule Making Activities — Standards for Individual Onsite Water Supply and Individual Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Campground Rules and Regulations (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Town of Jerusalem Building Permit Guide (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  19. Chapter 142: Subdivision of Land - Town of Jerusalem, NY (Town of Jerusalem), quoted and re-checked
  20. Yates County Highway Department Driveway Installation & Replacement Permit, quoted and re-checked
  21. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Town of Jerusalem Town Clerk (jerusalem-ny.gov)
  23. Occupancy Tax | Yates County, NY, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Jerusalem

Town of Jerusalem’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in Jerusalem town that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

    • Exemptions include temporary motion-picture, television, and theater scenery; specified awnings, partitions, finish work, portable listed equipment, qualifying equipment replacements, and qualifying repairs.
    • Work may not commence until the Town issues the required permit.
    • A permit expires 12 months after issuance unless renewed under the Code.
    “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.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

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

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 65, all buildings, structures, and premises are subject to Chapter 65.
    “This chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) in this Town.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction performed under a Town building permit in Jerusalem town.

    • Inspections apply where applicable.
    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • A remote inspection may replace an in-person inspection only at the authorized official's discretion and if it provides equivalent information and quality.
    “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

    Work subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification in Jerusalem town.

    • A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • The work must comply with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.
    “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 within the Town of Jerusalem, New York.

    • Chapter 160 was adopted by the Town Board and amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Jerusalem 10-14-1974. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land within the Town of Jerusalem.

    • The interactive zoning map is identified in Chapter 160.
    • The AGR district includes property not included in another use district; R2 is limited to lots within the Keuka Park Sewer District as of January 1, 1996.
    “The following use districts are hereby established: AGR Agricultural-Residential R1 Residential-Lakeshore area R2 Residential-Public Sewers R3 Residential - Indian Pines B1 General Business BSP Branchport Service Park”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Any connection to, opening into, use, alteration, or disturbance of a public sewer in Jerusalem town.

    • A written permit from the Town is required before the listed activity involving a public sewer or appurtenance.
    • The opened source does not establish a general mandatory-connection distance or availability threshold for new homes.
    “NO UNAUTHORIZED PERSON SHALL UNCOVER, MAKE ANY CONNECTIONS WITH OR OPENING INTO, USE ALTER OR DISTURB ANY PUBLIC SEWER OR APPURTENANCE THEREOF WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING A WRITTEN PERMIT FROM THE TOWN OF JERUSALEM.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Minor subdivisions, resubdivisions, and major subdivisions of land in Jerusalem town.

    • The Town code separately addresses minor subdivision/resubdivision and major subdivision/resubdivision.
    • The cited section title requires a written application before conveyance for minor subdivision or resubdivision.
    “Article III Minor Subdivision; Resubdivision § 142-7 Application in writing required prior to conveyance.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction and other development in Jerusalem town areas of special flood hazard shown on the referenced Flood Insurance Rate Map.

    • The floodplain development permit is limited to areas of special flood hazard.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer is the Local Administrator.
    • Applications require an application fee set by Town Board resolution and may require reimbursement of additional review, inspection, and approval costs; the Local Administrator may require a deposit of no more than $500 for those costs.

    additional-cost deposit: <= 500 USD (May be required by the Local Administrator to cover additional review, inspection, and approval costs.)

    “It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 87-3B, without a valid floodplain development permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town of Jerusalem building permits.

    • The Town publishes a Building Permit Fee Schedule.
    • The building-permit guide says the fee is calculated after the application is complete and requirements are met.
    “Building Permits Building Permit Guide Building Permit Application Building Permit Fee Schedule Building Permit and Zoning Research Application”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in Jerusalem town.

    • The guide directs applicants to check zoning and review Town codes, complete the application, provide plans and wastewater materials, submit the application, undergo review and fee calculation, pay the fee, schedule inspections, and complete inspections before a certificate is issued.
    • If zoning or Planning Board applications are required, the building-permit application will be denied until those applications are addressed.
    “Provide building plans, plot plans, waste water plans, and workers' compensation insurance or exemption forms.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Jerusalem town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Jerusalem town zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family dwellings in Jerusalem town zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Single-family dwellings in Jerusalem town zoning districts.
  • Lot coverage — Single-family dwellings in Jerusalem town zoning districts.
13 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Jerusalem publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Yates County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Yates County: county rules, score and offices