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

Town of Torrey’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction activity or a changed use of a building, structure, or land regulated by the zoning law, inside Torrey town excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • The rule applies to activities regulated by the zoning law.
  • parameters

  “No property owner, contractor, workman or other person shall perform any construction activity nor change the use of any building, structure or land regulated by this Chapter until a permit for such activity or use has been obtained.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building, structure, use requiring a building or special-use permit, or applicable steep-slope land, inside Torrey town excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • A certificate must state compliance with the chapter.
  • conditions

  “A building, structure, or use which requires a building or special use permit under this Chapter shall not be used until a Certificate of Occupancy/Compliance has been issued by the Zoning Officer stating that the building, structure or use complies with the provisions of this Chapter.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Torrey, Yates County, New York, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • The zoning law expressly excludes the Village of Dresden.

  “This Chapter shall be applicable to all land within the boundaries of the Town of Torrey exclusive of the Village of Dresden.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Torrey zoning-law area, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  “Ag Agricultural Ag/Res Agricultural/Residential Rec Recreation C Commercial CC Community Center I Industrial LI Light Industrial LC-O Land Conservation Overlay”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  New septic-system plans submitted with a Torrey town building-permit application.

  • Yates County Soil & Water approval is required before the town may issue the building permit.

  “SEPTIC SYSTEM PLANS must be approved by Yates County Soil & Water before a building permit can be issued (315)-536-5188”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  A property sale inside Torrey town.

  • The requirement is stated for every property sale.

  “Every time a property is sold there needs to be an inspection. Call your septic pumper and tell them you need to have a septic inspection.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Temporary-housing units in all Torrey zoning districts, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • The restriction applies to all temporary-housing-unit occupancy.

  “The following regulations shall apply to the occupancy of all temporary housing units: [...] Black or grey water shall not be discharged onto the ground.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Dwellings operated as short-term rentals inside Torrey town, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • A Short-Term Rental Permit is required; permits expire annually on December 31; county, state, and federal requirements remain applicable.
  • parameters

  “Short-Term-Rental Permits shall expire annually on December 31.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town permits inside Torrey town.

  • The available town page identifies a 2024 fee and fines schedule but the schedule contents were not opened.

  “Fees and Fines Schedule - 2024 (PDF; 101 KB)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit applications inside Torrey town excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • For construction not requiring site-plan review, two copies of a scaled layout or plot plan are required.
  • parameters

  plot-plan copies: 2 copies (Construction activity that does not require Site Plan Review)

  “If the construction activity does not require a Site Plan Review, the applicant shall submit two (2) copies of a layout or plot plan drawn to scale”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Torrey

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

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural/Residential (Ag/Res) zoning district inside Torrey town, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  • The schedule gives a minimum lot area and minimum lot area per dwelling unit.

  minimum lot area: 1 acre · minimum lot area per dwelling unit: 1 acre

  “Ag/Res Agricultural /Residential 1 acre 1 acre 100 150 50 15 30 28 20%”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural/Residential (Ag/Res) zoning district inside Torrey town, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  minimum front setback: 50 feet · minimum side setback: 15 feet · minimum rear setback: 30 feet

  “Ag/Res Agricultural /Residential 1 acre 1 acre 100 150 50 15 30 28 20%”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural/Residential (Ag/Res) zoning district inside Torrey town, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  maximum lot coverage: 20 percent

  “Ag/Res Agricultural /Residential 1 acre 1 acre 100 150 50 15 30 28 20%”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural/Residential (Ag/Res) zoning district inside Torrey town, excluding the Village of Dresden.

  maximum building height: 28 feet

  “Ag/Res Agricultural /Residential 1 acre 1 acre 100 150 50 15 30 28 20%”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Torrey town.
• Building code adopted — Buildings inside Torrey town.
• Inspections — Building work inside Torrey town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Torrey town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Torrey town.

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.