Bolthole Index

Columbia County, New York

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

The Town of Ghent, in Columbia County, New York, has its own zoning law and requires a building and/or use permit for structures built, placed or enlarged in town12. The town's Building Inspector administers the state building code3. Septic and well approvals do not come from the town: the Columbia County Health Department inspects and approves them before occupancy4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Town of Ghent for structures built, placed, enlarged or significantly altered; structures of 50 square feet or less are excepted but must still meet zoning and the state code2
Zoning
Yes, the Town of Ghent adopted its own zoning chapter and divides the town into districts15
Septic
Columbia County Health Department inspects and approves systems before occupancy46
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a new or changed building is occupied7
Driveways
Written entrance approval needed before a driveway, building permit or subdivision is approved8
Flood zones
A development permit is required before construction in a designated flood hazard area9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Ghent Building Inspector (Building & Zoning)

Building permits, code enforcement and zoning for land inside the Town of Ghent

518-392-4644

2306 State Route 66, Ghent, NY 12075

Septic permits

Columbia County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Individual sewage-disposal applications, plan review, site visits and final inspections

518-828-3358

325 Columbia St. Ste. 100, Hudson, NY 12534

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 Ghent means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does the Town of Ghent have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The Town of Ghent, New York adopted its own zoning law in 1997 and rewrote it in full in 20191. The code divides the town into several classes of districts shown on an adopted Zoning Map, so the rules for a parcel depend on which district it sits in5. Columbia County itself does not run each town's zoning; municipalities are responsible for zoning and land-use enforcement10.

Mobile and manufactured homes are allowed in the RRA-1 and RRA-2 districts with conditions: a permanent foundation or slab, anchoring, skirting, county-health water and sewer approval, and at least 500 feet from another such home unless it sits in an approved mobile-home park11.

We could not confirm town rules on living in an RV, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size, setbacks or minimum home size. Ask the Ghent Building Inspector, who administers zoning, before you buy12.

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

Yes. The Town of Ghent requires a building and/or use permit for every structure or use built, established, placed, enlarged or significantly altered in town2. A structure of 50 square feet or less is excepted from the permit but must still comply with zoning and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code2.

The town's Building Inspector, Deputy Building Inspector or Zoning Enforcement Officer administers and enforces the state code in Ghent3. The Building Inspector keeps office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can be reached at 518-392-464412. Permit fees are set by Town Board resolution, so ask the office for the current schedule13.

For a one- or two-family home, the application needs two copies of a layout or plot plan and the fee14. Permit applications received on or after December 31, 2025 fall under the 2025 state Uniform Code12. We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption in the town code.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Ghent?

The town does not issue septic permits. Any structure that needs water or sewer facilities cannot be occupied, and no certificate of occupancy is issued, until the Columbia County Health Department has inspected and approved the systems and proof reaches the Building Inspector6.

Columbia County requires individual sewage applications to include engineered plans from a New York licensed professional engineer, designed to Appendix 75-A15. Applications may only be submitted April 1 through October 1, and the fees are $500 for a single lot plus a $700 engineer plan-review fee16. After a complete application, the Health Department schedules a site visit with the engineer, and the engineer certifies the finished system17.

Soils matter here: USDA rates only about 0.4% of Columbia County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and often an engineered system18. Call the Environmental Health Division at 518-828-335819. We could not confirm a town or county well-permit rule.

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

  1. Ask the Building Inspector which zoning district your parcel is in and what it allows, including any RV, accessory-dwelling or setback limits we could not confirm512.
  2. If a new driveway is involved, get written entrance approval first; on Town highways the Town Highway Superintendent reviews sight distance, slope and drainage8.
  3. Apply to the county Health Department for septic approval within the April 1 through October 1 window15.
  4. Apply to the town for the building permit with a completed application, plot plan and fee14.
  5. Build, then have the work inspected as the state code requires20.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy, which requires conformity with zoning and the state code and county health approval of water and sewer7.

If the land touches a mapped flood hazard area, add a floodplain development permit before construction9.

What stays with Columbia County, and what to check before you buy in Ghent?

Septic and wells go through the Columbia County Health Department, not the town4. Columbia County does not set zoning for the town10. The county page for land outside this town is Columbia County.

Before you buy, confirm three things with the Building Inspector: the zoning district, whether any part of the parcel is in a flood hazard area, and whether the lot can be subdivided, since the town code has its own minor and major subdivision review219. If the parcel fronts a state highway, a NYS Department of Transportation permit is required to build or modify a driveway22.

Columbia County's effective property tax rate is about 1.5% and the median property tax bill is $4,795 a year2324.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Ghent's rules on RV living, tiny homes, minimum lot size, setbacks or accessory dwellings; ask the Building Inspector at 518-392-4644 before you buy12.
  • The septic application window runs only April 1 through October 1, so a late-season purchase can push septic approval, and your certificate of occupancy, into the next year15.
  • No structure that needs water or sewer can be occupied until the Columbia County Health Department approves it, even if the building itself passes inspection6.

Sources

  1. Chapter 190: Zoning - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 82: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  4. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  5. Article II: Districts and Boundaries - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 99: Flood Damage Prevention - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Permits & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  11. Article III: Residential Districts and Uses - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Ghent Building Inspector (Building & Zoning) (townofghent.org)
  13. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  14. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  15. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  16. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment System, quoted and re-checked
  17. Application for Individual Sewage Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  18. 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
  19. Columbia County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (columbiacountyny.gov)
  20. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 156: Subdivision of Land - Town of Ghent, NY (Town of Ghent), quoted and re-checked
  22. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

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 Ghent

Town of Ghent’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Structures or uses built, established, placed, enlarged, or significantly altered inside the Town of Ghent.

    • A completed application and required fee are required.
    • A structure of 50 square feet or less is excepted, but must comply with zoning and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
    • Site-plan approval is required before a building or use permit except for a one- or two-family residence building permit.

    small-structure exception: <= 50 square feet (Must otherwise comply with zoning and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.)

    “Every structure or use built, established, placed, enlarged or significantly altered upon any real property on or after the effective date of this chapter shall require the issuance of a building and/or use permit”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside the Town of Ghent.

    • Administration and enforcement are performed by the Building Inspector, Deputy Building Inspector, or Zoning Enforcement Officer.
    “the Town of Ghent does therefore, hereby adopt the following provisions for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Nonresidential building- or use-permit applications inside the Town of Ghent.

    • The applicant must execute a consent form allowing reasonable-time inspections for compliance with zoning and permit, site-plan, special-permit, or variance conditions.
    “Any applicant applying for a building permit or a use permit for a nonresidential purpose in any zone within the Town shall, in connection with any such application, execute a consent form”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings, structures, premises, lots, or land erected, altered, enlarged, moved, put into use, or with a changed use after the zoning chapter's effective date inside the Town of Ghent.

    • The certificate requires conformity with the zoning chapter, New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, and Flood Area Overzone law if applicable.
    • Water or sewer facilities must be inspected and approved by the Columbia County Health Department before occupancy or issuance of a certificate.
    “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or to permit the use or occupancy of any building, structure, premises, lot or land, or part thereof [...] until a certificate of occupancy has been obtained by the owner.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Ghent, New York.

    • The chapter was amended in its entirety on December 19, 2019, with subsequent amendments noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Ghent 8-21-1997 by L.L. No. 4-1997; amended in its entirety 12-19-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2019. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Ghent.

    • District boundaries are established on the duly adopted Zoning Map accompanying Chapter 190.
    “Classes of districts. For the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Ghent is hereby divided into several classes of districts, as follows:”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile or manufactured homes in RRA-1 or RRA-2 zoning districts inside the Town of Ghent.

    • The 500-foot separation rule excludes homes in an approved mobile-home park.
    • Individual homes require a permanent foundation or concrete slab, anchoring, skirting within 30 days, county-health water and sewer approval, underground electrical wiring, and compliance with State Building Code requirements before occupancy.

    minimum separation from another mobile/manufactured home: >= 500 feet (Does not apply to a home in an approved mobile-home park.)

    “Prior to the occupation of the mobile or manufactured home, the water and sewer system shall be inspected and approved by the Columbia County Health Department”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Water and sewer facilities serving structures inside the Town of Ghent.

    • Approval evidence must be presented to the Town Building Inspector before occupancy or a certificate of occupancy.
    “the systems have been inspected and approved by the Columbia County Health Department, and such proof is presented to the Building Inspector.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Structures and uses inside the Town of Ghent that necessitate water or sewer facilities.

    • Inspection and approval by the Columbia County Health Department, with proof to the Building Inspector, is required before occupancy or a certificate of occupancy.
    “All structures erected and/or uses established that necessitate water and/or sewer facilities shall not be occupied, nor shall any certificate of occupancy be issued until such time as the systems have been inspected and approved”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Planned Residential Districts inside the Town of Ghent.

    • A Planned Residential District must be serviced by a central or public sewer and water system approved by the Columbia County Health Department.
    “Any Planned Residential District must be serviced by either a central or public sewer and water system that has been approved by the Columbia County Health Department.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Town of Ghent.

    • The Town code contains an application procedure, review provisions for minor and major subdivisions, design standards, variance and waiver provisions, and conservation-subdivision provisions.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Ghent 3-10-1971. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    New driveways, building permits, and subdivisions inside the Town of Ghent.

    • Written entrance-location approval is required from the applicable state or local municipal authority.
    • For Town highways, the Town Highway Superintendent evaluates sight distance, access, slope, culverts, drainage, and runoff protection.
    “No driveway shall be constructed, nor any building permit issued, nor any subdivision approved, unless and until the owner has received approval in writing from the applicable state or local municipal authority”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain development inside designated flood-hazard areas in the Town of Ghent.

    • Development without an approved permit is subject to a stop-work order.
    • Periodic inspections monitor permit compliance.
    • A certificate of compliance is required before occupancy of newly created, erected, changed, converted, altered, or enlarged buildings or premises in the floodplain.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before the start of construction or any other development within the area of special flood hazard”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building, use, and related permit applications inside the Town of Ghent.

    • Fees are established by Town Board resolution and may be amended from time to time.
    “All fees for the issuance of any building, use or other permit, certificate of occupancy or in connection with any application [...] shall be established by the Town Board pursuant to a resolution”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building or use permits inside the Town of Ghent.

    • The application requires a completed application and fee.
    • For one- and two-family dwellings and residential accessory structures, applications require two copies of a layout or plot plan.
    • For nonresidential projects, site-plan approval precedes permit issuance.
    “Building permit applications shall include two copies of a layout or plot plans”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside the Town of Ghent.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside the Town of Ghent.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family residential districts inside the Town of Ghent.
  • Setbacks — Single-family residential districts inside the Town of Ghent.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside the Town of Ghent.
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Ghent publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Columbia County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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