Bolthole Index

Broome County, New York

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

The Town of Union, in Broome County, New York, requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the town's own Code Enforcement office issues it1. The town also adopts and enforces its own zoning code2. Septic permits are a separate office: the Broome County Health Department's Division of Environmental Health handles them countywide3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must meet the NYS Uniform Code; issued by the Town of Union Code Enforcement office1
Zoning
Yes, the Town of Union has its own zoning code (Chapter 300)2
Septic permits
Broome County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health (new systems under 1,000 gallons per day)3
Rural Residential lot size
40,000 sq ft without public water and sewer, 15,000 sq ft with both4
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work and for changes of use or occupancy5
Owner-builder
Homeowners doing their own work in an owner-occupied 1 to 4 family home file an affidavit of exemption6
Mobile and manufactured homes
Year-round use allowed as a principal use in Rural Residential if conditions are met7
Property tax
Broome County's effective rate is 2.6%8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Union Code Enforcement & Building Permits

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Union

(607) 786-2920

3111 E. Main Street Endwell, NY 13760

Building permits

Town of Union building permit application rules

What a Town of Union building permit application must include

Zoning

Town of Union Planning & Zoning

Zoning, planning and the Zoning Officer for the Town of Union

(607) 786-2977

3111 E. Main Street Endwell, NY 13760

Septic permits

Broome County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health

Residential onsite wastewater standards and sewage-disposal construction permits in Broome County

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Union, NY?

Yes. The Town of Union requires a building permit for any work that must meet the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition of a building, and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance1. Exempt categories are listed in § 86-4B of the town code, and an exemption never excuses work that breaks the code1.

The town's permit office describes permits as required for most exterior and interior structural improvements, additions and demolitions, siding included6. Work must stay exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer inspects it9, and a certificate of occupancy is required for permitted work and for changes of use5. Statewide, a one-story detached shed or playhouse may be exempted only if a locality chooses to, and only up to 144 square feet10; ask the town which exemptions it adopted.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Union, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Union's own Code Enforcement & Building Permits office, at 3111 E. Main Street, Endwell, NY 13760, issues building permits inside the town; call (607) 786-292011. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm11. Applications are written, on a form the Code Enforcement Officer provides or accepts, and the owner or an authorized agent must sign12.

The town says most permits are issued within a 2 week window from submittal, and that some applications also need Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals approval first6. Broome County does not issue building permits for land inside the town; New York counties generally step in only when a local government opts out of enforcing the Uniform Code13.

Does the Town of Union have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Union adopted its own zoning code, Chapter 300, in 20112. Its residential districts include Rural Residential (RR), Urban Single-Family (USF), Suburban Single-Family, Urban Two-Family, Urban Multifamily and Suburban Multifamily14. Broome County sets no countywide zoning; each city, town and village administers its own15.

Dimensional rules depend on the district. In Rural Residential, a single-family lot needs at least 40,000 square feet without public water and sewer, or 15,000 with both4. RR setbacks are 35 feet front, 20 feet side and 60 feet rear, with building coverage capped at 20 percent1617. In Urban Single-Family, the minimum lot is 4,000 square feet with public water and sewer18, with 25-foot front, 5-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks19 and 30 percent coverage20. Single-family height is capped at 35 feet in both21. Confirm your parcel's district with the Zoning Officer22.

How do septic permits work for a home in the Town of Union?

Broome County's Health Department Division of Environmental Health enforces residential onsite wastewater standards, and its sewage permit application is required for new septic installations under 1,000 gallons per day3. New construction needs plans from a licensed engineer, with a $50 permit fee; replacing an existing failed system carries a $190 fee3. The county does not design systems or run percolation tests; a New York State licensed engineer does23.

The Town of Union's own building office is separate from this process. We could not confirm how the county's septic rules apply to a specific Town of Union address, including where public sewer is available, so ask the Broome County Health Department's Division of Environmental Health before you rely on a septic plan24. Soil matters too: USDA rates none of Broome County's soils as "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system25.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in the Town of Union?

We could not confirm a Town of Union rule on tiny homes or on living in an RV on your own lot, so ask the Zoning Officer before you buy or park anything22. Do not read that gap as permission: the town zones its land2.

Mobile and manufactured homes are addressed. A year-round mobile home is permitted as a principal use in the Rural Residential District if the code's standards and conditions are met, and the town's residential use table prohibits it in the USF, SSF, UMF, SMF and UTF districts7. Installing a manufactured home needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy26. State campground rules cover DEC campgrounds, not your own land27.

What are the steps to build a home in the Town of Union, in order?

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district the parcel is in and whether the lot meets the district's minimum size22.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect town subdivision review under Chapter 181, with sketch, preliminary and final plan stages28.
  3. Contact the Broome County Division of Environmental Health about septic or sewer approval24.
  4. Apply to the town for a building permit with a plot plan and plans6. Construction of residential structures in excess of 1,500 square feet requires an architect's or professional engineer's stamp6.
  5. If the site is in a mapped flood hazard area, obtain a development permit before starting29.
  6. Keep work exposed for inspections9.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy before moving in5.

What stays with Broome County, and what should you check before buying in the Town of Union?

The county's role is narrow: septic and well approvals come from the Broome County Health Department, not the town2330. A new private water supply needs preliminary approval from the county Commissioner of Health before construction30. For land outside the town, see the Broome County page.

Before buying, check flood-hazard mapping, since the town requires a development permit there29, and whether the lot fronts a state highway, where a driveway needs a NYSDOT permit31. Broome County's effective property tax rate is 2.6 percent8.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm a Town of Union rule on tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, minimum house size, wells or short-term rentals; ask the Zoning Officer and the Broome County Health Department22.
  • Homeowners doing their own work in an owner-occupied 1 to 4 family home must file an affidavit of exemption with the town, and contractors must show workers' compensation proof6.
  • Zoning dimensions in this guide cover single-family detached homes only; other districts and uses differ14.

Sources

  1. Town of Union Code, Chapter 86 Building Code Administration (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Union Code, Chapter 300 Zoning (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wastewater Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Union Code, Chapter 86 Building Code Administration (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Union building permit application rules (townofunionny.gov)
  7. Town of Union Code, Part 4 Specific Use Requirements (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  8. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  9. Town of Union Code, Chapter 86 Building Code Administration (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  10. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Union Code Enforcement & Building Permits (townofunionny.gov)
  12. Town of Union Code, Chapter 86 Building Code Administration (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  13. New York Executive Law § 381 (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  15. Zoning Districts, quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  17. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  18. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  20. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  21. Town of Union Code, Article 20 Residential Districts (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  22. Town of Union Planning & Zoning (townofunionny.gov)
  23. Wastewater Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  24. Broome County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health (broomecountyny.gov)
  25. 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
  26. Division of Building Standards and Codes Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  27. Campground Rules and Regulations (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Town of Union Code, Chapter 181 Subdivision of Land (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  29. Town of Union Code, Chapter 121 Flood Damage Prevention (Town of Union), quoted and re-checked
  30. Broome County Charter and Code, Chapter 305, Sanitary Code, quoted and re-checked
  31. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 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 Union

Town of Union’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside the Town of Union that must conform to the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code.

    • Exempt work categories in § 86-4B do not require a building permit.
    • A permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before work begins.
    • Exemption does not authorize noncompliant work.
    “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.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside the Town of Union.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when listed work elements are ready for inspection.
    • Listed inspections apply where applicable.
    “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 use or occupancy conversions inside the Town of Union.

    • A certificate is also required for structures, buildings, or portions converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • A temporary certificate may authorize temporary occupancy, subject to safety, operational fire/smoke equipment, egress, and a term not exceeding six months.
    “A certificate of occupancy/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 Union.

    • Chapter 300 was adopted by the Town Board; amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Union 5-4-2011 by L.L. No. 7-2011. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside the Town of Union.

    • The residential-district list identifies Rural Residential, Urban Single-Family, Suburban Single-Family, Urban Two-Family, Urban Multifamily, and Suburban Multifamily districts.
    “The residential districts are listed below. When this Zoning Ordinance refers to residential or R zoning districts, it is referring to one of the following:”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes inside the Town of Union.

    • A year-round mobile home is permitted as a principal use in the Rural Residential District only if the section's standards and conditions are met.
    • The residential use table permits mobile or manufactured homes in RR and marks that use prohibited in UMF, SMF, USF, SSF, and UTF.
    “Permanent residence. A year-round mobile home is permitted as a principal use in the Rural Residential District, provided that the following standards and conditions are met:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Town of Union.

    • Chapter 181 includes applicability, Planning Board powers, land partition, resubdivision, sketch-plan, preliminary-plan, final-plan, construction, design-standard, waiver, penalty, and amendment provisions.
    “Article III Sketch Plan | § 181-9 Requirements. | § 181-10 Procedure. | Article IV Preliminary Plan | § 181-11 Requirements. | § 181-12 Procedure.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or other development in an area of special flood hazard inside the Town of Union.

    • The development permit must be obtained before development begins.
    • Applications may require plans showing specified site and elevation information.
    • The local administrator reviews applications; flood-damage mitigation becomes a permit condition if there is adverse effect.
    • A special permit from the Planning Board is required for uses within special flood hazard areas other than specified uses in § 121-10.1.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before the start of construction or any other development within the area of special flood hazard as established in § 121-6.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside the Town of Union.

    • Applications must be in writing on a form supplied by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
    • The owner or authorized agent must sign.
    • The application must include sufficient information for code-compliance determination and must include the listed documentation.
    • Work cannot start unless a permit is issued.
    “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 by an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Union

Town of Union 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)

    Single-family detached dwellings in the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district inside the Town of Union.

    • The table applies to residential districts within the Town and Villages.
    • The lot-size note allows the most common lot size on the block as an alternative.
    • Without public water and/or sewer, the RR minimum shown is 40,000 square feet.

    minimum lot size with public water and sewer: >= 15000 square feet (or the most common lot size on the block) · minimum lot size without public water and/or sewer: >= 40000 square feet (or the most common lot size on the block)

    “Minimum lot size (no public water and/or sewer) (1) | Single-family detached (square feet) | NA | 40,000 | NA | 40,000 | NA | 40,000”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwellings in the Urban Single-Family (USF) zoning district inside the Town of Union.
      “Minimum lot size (with public water and sewer) (1) | Single-family detached (square feet) | 4,000 | 7,000 | 4,000 | 9,000 | 4,000 | 15,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwellings in the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district inside the Town of Union.

    • Table 20-3 applies to residential districts within the Town and Villages.

    minimum front setback: >= 35 feet · minimum side setback: >= 20 feet · minimum rear setback: >= 60 feet

    “Minimum front setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 35 [...] Minimum side setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 20 [...] Minimum rear setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 60”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwellings in the Urban Single-Family (USF) zoning district inside the Town of Union.
      “Minimum front setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 35 [...] Minimum side setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 20 [...] Minimum rear setback | Single-family detached (feet) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 60”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwellings in the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district inside the Town of Union.

    • Table 20-4 applies to residential districts within the Town and Villages.

    maximum building coverage: <= 20 percent

    “Maximum building coverage | Single-family detached | 50% | 40% | 30% | 25% | 35% | 20%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwellings in the Urban Single-Family (USF) zoning district inside the Town of Union.
      “Maximum building coverage | Single-family detached | 50% | 40% | 30% | 25% | 35% | 20%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwellings in the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district inside the Town of Union.

    • Table 20-4 applies to residential districts within the Town and Villages.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “Maximum building height | Single-family detached (feet) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwellings in the Urban Single-Family (USF) zoning district inside the Town of Union.
      “Maximum building height | Single-family detached (feet) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside the Town of Union.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside the Town of Union.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Union.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town of Union.
  • Who permits septic — On-site wastewater systems inside the Town of Union.
8 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Union publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Broome County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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