Bolthole Index

Livingston County, New York

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

The Town of Conesus in Livingston County, New York has its own zoning law and requires a building permit for work covered by the state Uniform Code12. The town's Code Enforcement Officers issue building permits and certificates of occupancy3. Septic permits are not a town matter: the Livingston County Department of Health issues them4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the Town of Conesus has its own zoning law (Chapter 155)1
Building permit
Required for work that must meet the Uniform Code or Energy Code2
Who issues building permits
Town of Conesus Code Enforcement Officers3
Septic permit
Livingston County Department of Health, Environmental Health4
RV or tent living
Limited to 14 consecutive days unless in a campground5
Manufactured homes
Listed as allowed on a permanent foundation, subject to district rules6
Floodplain
Town floodplain development permit available3
Driveway
Town road driveways need a town permit; county roads need county approval37

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Conesus Code Enforcement

Building permits, demolition permits, certificates of occupancy, zoning enforcement, floodplain development permits and driveway permits on town roads

(585) 346-3130

6210 South Livonia Rd., PO Box 188 Town Offices Conesus, NY 14435

Zoning

Town of Conesus Planning Board

Site plan and subdivision review

(585) 346-3130

6210 South Livonia Rd.

Septic permits

Livingston County Department of Health - Environmental Health

Individual wastewater treatment system (septic) permits and inspections, including inside the Town of Conesus

585-243-7280

environ-health@livingstoncountyny.gov

2 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510

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

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Does the Town of Conesus, NY have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Conesus adopted its zoning law in 1970 and amended it in its entirety in 2015, and the law divides the town into zoning districts shown on a Zoning Map18. Livingston County itself has no countywide zoning code, so the town's own zoning law is what applies to a parcel in Conesus91.

Lot size, setbacks, building height, lot coverage and minimum dwelling size are all set district by district, so the answer for a parcel depends on which district it sits in10111213. Ask the Code Enforcement office for the district and its dimensional table before you make an offer. Manufactured homes on a permanent foundation are a listed use, subject to district rules6.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Conesus?

Yes. A building permit is required in Conesus for any work that must meet the New York State Uniform Code or the Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, relocation or demolition, with exceptions the code lists2. The application is written, on a form the Code Enforcement Officer accepts, and signed by the property owner or an agent14. Fees come from a schedule the Town Board sets by resolution, so ask for the current amounts15.

A certificate of occupancy is required for any work covered by a building permit16. No building permit is approved for a structure without access from an improved street or a street on a filed plat or approved subdivision17. Doing the work yourself on your own home does not change this: New York does not license home improvement contractors, but the permit still applies182.

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

The Town of Conesus Code Enforcement department issues building permits, demolition permits and certificates of occupancy, and inspects work at the footing, foundation and framing stages3. Its office is at the Town Offices, 6210 South Livonia Rd., Conesus, NY 14435, and the phone is (585) 346-31303. The same page offers applications for a zoning/building permit, a floodplain development permit and a driveway permit for driveways on town roads3.

The Planning Board separately reviews site plans and subdivisions of land19. These are town offices; do not go to the Livingston County planning counter for a Conesus building permit. Outside the town, the county's page covers unincorporated areas: see Livingston County.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Conesus?

Septic permits for a new home in Conesus come from the Livingston County Department of Health, Environmental Health, not from the town420. The county issues permits and conducts inspections21. The county's 2020 application lists a $225 total for a permit for a new system, made up of a permit fee and an engineering fee, and requires design plans for construction22.

The town's zoning law adds a lot-size safeguard: where public facilities are unavailable, enough unoccupied and unpaved ground must remain for sewage disposal and water supply that meet county and state health standards23. Livingston County rates only about 7% of its soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system24. We could not confirm whether the town imposes extra septic or well-permit rules, so ask Code Enforcement and the county health office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Town of Conesus?

Not for long. The Town of Conesus prohibits using a travel trailer, tent trailer, tent or motor home for living or sleeping quarters for more than 14 consecutive days unless the use is within a campground, apart from the temporary-use provisions of the zoning law5. An RV is therefore not a way to live on bare land while you build.

We could not confirm any town rule that addresses tiny homes or accessory dwelling units specifically, so ask the Code Enforcement office how a particular tiny home would be classified. Any dwelling that must meet the Uniform Code needs a building permit2. Manufactured homes on a permanent foundation are a listed use in the zoning law6.

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

  1. Ask Town of Conesus Code Enforcement which zoning district the parcel is in, and read the district's lot size, setback and height rules8113.
  2. Confirm the parcel has access from an improved street or a filed-plat street, because no building permit is approved otherwise17.
  3. Get a septic permit from the Livingston County Department of Health before construction, with design plans422.
  4. If a subdivision is involved, go to the Planning Board19.
  5. Apply in writing for the building permit14.
  6. Request inspections as work proceeds, then obtain the certificate of occupancy2516.

What to check before you buy land in the Town of Conesus

Check the zoning district and the dimensional rules for your parcel8. Check flood risk: the town offers a floodplain development permit, and New York requires local permits for development in mapped flood hazard areas326. Check road access: a driveway onto a county road needs Livingston County Highway Department approval, and one onto a state highway needs a New York State Department of Transportation permit727.

Livingston County figures: the effective property tax rate is 2.5% and the median property tax bill is $4182 a year2829. Farmland averages about $4585 an acre30. For land outside the town's boundaries, see the Livingston County page.

Watch-outs

  • Doing the work yourself does not exempt you from the building permit; the town requires one for work covered by the Uniform Code2.
  • Camping in a tent or RV for more than 14 consecutive days outside a campground is not allowed under the town's zoning law5.
  • Subdivisions go through the Planning Board19; we could not confirm town rules on tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals or agricultural exemptions, so ask Code Enforcement before you commit3.
  • The Code Enforcement office posts limited public hours, so call (585) 346-3130 ahead3.

Sources

  1. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155: Zoning (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Conesus Code, § 59-4: Building permits (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Conesus Code Enforcement (conesusny.gov)
  4. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  7. Highway Permits, quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article V: Establishment of Districts and Maps (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  9. Section 9.1 - Livingston County (2026 county census)
  10. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  14. Town of Conesus Code, § 59-4: Building permits (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Conesus Code, § 59-3: Code Enforcement Officer and inspectors (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Conesus Code, § 59-3: Code Enforcement Officer and inspectors (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  17. Town of Conesus Code, Chapter 155, Article VI: General Requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  18. Consumer Alert: NYS Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Provides New Yorkers with Tips for Avoiding Home Improvement Scams (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Conesus Planning Board (conesusny.gov)
  20. Livingston County Department of Health - Environmental Health (livingstoncountyny.gov)
  21. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  22. Application for Individual Wastewater Treatment System-2020, quoted and re-checked
  23. Town of Conesus Code, § 155-34: Lot size and yard requirements (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  24. 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
  25. Town of Conesus Code, § 59-3: Code Enforcement Officer and inspectors (Town of Conesus), quoted and re-checked
  26. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): 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 Conesus

Town of Conesus’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in Conesus that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, and specified solid-fuel equipment work.

    • The code excepts the categories listed in § 59-4B.
    • parameters not applicable
    “Building permits required. 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.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Conesus.

    • The chapter administers and enforces both the Uniform Code and Energy Code in the Town.
    “This chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) in this Town.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction and occupancy/compliance certification matters inside the Town of Conesus.

    • The cited provision describes Code Enforcement Officer inspection duties; the particular inspection sequence depends on the work and certificate involved.
    “Elements of work to be inspected. The following elements of the construction process shall be inspected, where applicable:”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy/compliance certifications for work governed by the Town building-code program.

    • Construction inspections are made before issuance of certificates of occupancy/certificates of compliance; the specific applicability is governed by Chapter 59.
    “Certificates of occupancy/certificates of compliance required. 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 Conesus, New York.

    • Chapter 155 was adopted by the Town Board and subsequently amended as stated in the chapter history.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Conesus 5-4-1970; amended in its entirety 11-10-2015 by L.L. No. 5-2015. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Conesus.

    • District locations and boundaries are established on the Zoning Map and its amendments.
    “For the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Conesus is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Dwellings in the Town of Conesus zoning districts, including Agricultural/Rural Residential District land.

    • A building may not be of lesser size than specified for the district in which it is located.
    “No building shall hereafter be erected or altered to exceed the height, to be of lesser size, to accommodate or house a greater number of families, to occupy a greater percentage of lot area, or to have narrower or smaller rear yards, front yards, side yards, inner or outer courts than is specified herein for the district in which such building is located.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in the Town of Conesus zoning districts, including Agricultural/Rural Residential District land.

    • Lot-size requirements are specified by zoning district.
    • A single-family dwelling may be established on a lot of record on the effective date of the chapter in a residence district regardless of lot size if all other chapter requirements are met.
    “Lot size requirements shall be as specified under each zoning district. In addition, the following regulations shall be complied with:”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Yards and setbacks in the Town of Conesus zoning districts, including Agricultural/Rural Residential District land.

    • Front, side, and rear yards must follow the subsequently indicated district regulations and generally remain unobstructed from ground level to sky, except as otherwise allowed.
    “Yard requirements shall be as set forth under each zoning district. Front, side, and rear yard setbacks shall be provided in accordance with the regulations hereinafter indicated and shall be unobstructed from the ground level to sky, except as otherwise allowed.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings in the Town of Conesus zoning districts, including Agricultural/Rural Residential District land.

    • A building may not occupy a greater percentage of lot area than specified for its district.
    “No building shall hereafter be erected or altered to exceed the height, to be of lesser size, to accommodate or house a greater number of families, to occupy a greater percentage of lot area, or to have narrower or smaller rear yards, front yards, side yards, inner or outer courts than is specified herein for the district in which such building is located.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings in the Town of Conesus zoning districts, including Agricultural/Rural Residential District land.

    • A building may not exceed the height specified for its district.
    “No building shall hereafter be erected or altered to exceed the height, to be of lesser size, to accommodate or house a greater number of families, to occupy a greater percentage of lot area, or to have narrower or smaller rear yards, front yards, side yards, inner or outer courts than is specified herein for the district in which such building is located.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Tents used for living or sleeping quarters within Conesus.

    • The general 14-consecutive-day limit applies unless use is within a campground or covered by temporary-use provisions.

    maximum occupancy without stated campground or temporary-use exception: <= 14 consecutive days (Campground and temporary-use provisions.)

    “Travel trailers. Except as permitted by temporary uses and structures, no person shall use or occupy any travel trailer, tent trailer, tent or motor home for living or sleeping quarters within Conesus for more than 14 consecutive days unless such use is carried on within a campground.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed

    Manufactured homes on a permanent foundation inside the Town of Conesus.

    • The listed use is subject to applicable district zoning regulations and other code requirements.
    “Manufactured homes on a permanent foundation.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Property without public facilities inside the Town of Conesus.

    • Sufficient unoccupied and unpaved ground area must remain for sewage disposal and water supply.
    • The system must conform with Livingston County Health Department and New York State Board of Health standards and requirements.
    “Where public facilities are unavailable, regardless of other provisions of this chapter, in all classifications and in all districts there shall always be sufficient ground area left unoccupied by a structure or paving for a proper system of sewage disposal and water supply conforming with the standards and requirements of the Livingston County Health Department and New York State Board of Health.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction of any building inside the Town of Conesus.

    • The structure must have access from an improved street or a street on an official map, plan, approved subdivision, or duly filed plat.
    “No landlocked parcels. No permit for the construction of any building shall be approved unless such structure has access from an improved street or a street on an official map, plan, approved subdivision or duly filed plat.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Code-enforcement permits and related Town code-enforcement activity inside Conesus.

    • Fees are set by the Town Board.
    “A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Town Board of this Town. Such fee schedule may thereafter be amended from time to time by like resolution.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in the Town of Conesus.

    • Applications must be in writing on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer and signed by the property owner or authorized agent.
    • The application must contain information sufficient for the Code Enforcement Officer to determine Uniform Code and Energy Code compliance.
    “Applications for building permits. 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 an authorized agent of the owner.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town of Conesus.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside the Town of Conesus.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Town of Conesus.
  • Septic permit — On-site sewage-disposal systems inside the Town of Conesus.
  • Septic inspection — On-site sewage-disposal systems inside the Town of Conesus.
6 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Conesus publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Livingston County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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