Bolthole Index

Jefferson County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Alexandria Bay, New York

Village of Alexandria Bay is a village in Jefferson County, New York. Village of Alexandria Bay adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Village of Alexandria Bay’s rules apply, not the county’s. 3 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 23, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Jefferson County page.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Alexandria Bay

Village of Alexandria Bay’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Alexandria Bay village limits. The Village of Alexandria Bay Zoning Law (Code Chapter 150) is the village's own zoning ordinance, enacted by the village board.

    • Enacted under Article 7 of New York State Village Law and Articles 2 and 3 of the Municipal Home Rule Law (§ 150-2).
    • Any use not listed in the permitted use schedules of the districts is presumed prohibited (§ 150-5).
    • eCode360 states the code includes legislation through 03-15-2022; later amendments were not checked.
    • Zoning permit issuance and the Zoning Enforcement Officer role were not verified on an opened page.
    “this chapter shall be known and cited as the "village of alexandria bay zoning law."”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts of Alexandria Bay village

    • Districts listed: Single-Family Residential (SFR), Neighborhood Residential (NR), General Residential (GR), Business (B), Marine Development District (MDD), Marine Residential (MR).
    • The zoning map is kept on file in the village offices; the map itself was not opened, so district boundaries are not verified.
    “the village of alexandria bay is hereby zoned into the following zoning districts: single-family residential — sfr neighborhood residential — nr general residential — gr business — b marine development district — mdd marine residential — mr”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Permanent single-family homes and dwelling units inside Alexandria Bay village limits

    • The single-family figure is a definition in § 150-8 (Article II); it is not stated as a district requirement.
    • Trailers or mobile homes are defined separately in the code; that definition was not opened.
    • District dimensional schedules were not opened, so any district-specific floor-area rule is not verified.

    minimum floor area, permanent single-family home at ground level: >= 720 sq ft (excludes garages, porches and other similar accessory attachments) · minimum interior floor area, any dwelling unit: >= 300 sq ft

    “single-family home (permanent) shall have a minimum of 720 square feet of floor area at ground level exclusive of garages, porches and other similar accessory attachments.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Alexandria Bay or Jefferson County directly.

  • Building permit — New construction inside Alexandria Bay village limits
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Alexandria Bay village limits
  • Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Alexandria Bay village limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Alexandria Bay village limits
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family residential district (SFR) and neighborhood/general residential districts inside Alexandria Bay village limits
20 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Village of Alexandria Bay publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Jefferson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Off-grid gear

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

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