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

Town of Berne’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Berne town limits: the Town of Berne adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 190 Zoning of the Town of Berne Code

  • Use, dimensional and district rules are in Chapter 190 and its attached Area and Bulk and Density Control Schedules, which were not opened in this research pass.
  • Chapter 190 is enacted under Article 16 of the Town Law of the State of New York, per its Article I purpose clause.
  • Legislation shown on the eCode360 index runs through 04-12-2023; later amendments are not reflected in this record.

  “An ordinance regulating and restricting the location, construction, alteration, occupancy and use of buildings and structures and the use of land in the Town of Berne and for said purposes dividing the Town into zoning districts.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Accessory buildings not attached to principal buildings on land inside Berne town limits, distance from the principal buildings (not lot-line setbacks)

  • Applies under the general provisions of Chapter 190 Article V, § 190-17 h(1); the sentence does not limit it to a district.
  • The distance is the greater of 12 feet or the height of the accessory building.
  • Lot-line setbacks are in the Area and Bulk Schedule, which was not opened; this claim does not answer lot-line setbacks.

  minimum distance from principal building: >= 12 feet (or a distance equal to the height of each accessory building, whichever is greater)

  “Accessory buildings not attached to principal buildings shall be located no closer to the principal buildings than 12 feet or a distance equal to the height of each accessory building, whichever is greater.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory buildings in residential and TN/MU districts inside Berne town limits; principal-building height is not answered here

  • Farm buildings have a higher limit of 35 feet under the same sentence.
  • Applies under Chapter 190 Article V, § 190-17 h(1).

  maximum height, accessory building, residential or TN/MU district: <= 20 feet (farm buildings excepted (see next parameter)) · maximum height, farm building, residential or TN/MU district: <= 35 feet

  “In a residential or TN/MU district accessory, buildings shall not exceed a maximum height of 20 feet, with the exception of farm buildings, which shall have a maximum height of 35 feet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit requirement for a new home inside Berne town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Berne town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Berne town
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Berne town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Berne 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Berne 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.