Bolthole Index

Niagara County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Cambria, New York

The Town of Cambria in Niagara County, New York requires a building permit before any work that must meet the state Uniform Code begins1. The town's Building Inspector, who is also the Code Enforcement Officer, issues building permits2. Cambria adopts and enforces its own zoning code3. Septic approval is a separate step through the Niagara County Health Department4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must meet the NYS Uniform Code; issued by the Town of Cambria15
Zoning
Yes, the town has its own zoning code with agricultural, residential, business, industrial and campground districts36
Septic
Written approval from the Niagara County Public Health Director before any new system; plans by a licensed engineer78
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work done under a building permit9
RV or campground
RV parks and campgrounds need a town permit and certificate of occupancy10
Driveway
A NYSDOT permit applies if the home sits on a state highway11

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Cambria Building Inspector / Code Enforcement Officer

Building permits, code enforcement, and planning and zoning board applications inside the Town of Cambria

716-433-7664

4160 Upper Mountain Road, Sanborn, NY 14132

Septic permits

Niagara County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Septic plan approvals and pre-sale septic dye tests in Niagara County

(716) 439-7444

55 Stevens Street, Lockport, NY 14094

Septic permits

Niagara County Department of Health: Sewage Disposal program

Plan review for new septic systems, dye tests at property transfer

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Cambria 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 Cambria, NY?

Yes. The Town of Cambria requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, relocation or demolition of a building1. The town administers and enforces the state's Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code itself5.

A Cambria building permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 6 months, and it expires 12 months after issuance1. A certificate of occupancy or compliance is required for any work done under a building permit9, and the Code Enforcement Officer must inspect before it is issued12.

New York's state minimum lets a town exempt small items such as a one-story detached storage shed of 144 square feet or less13. We could not confirm whether Cambria uses that exemption, so ask the Building Inspector before building any shed or outbuilding.

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

The Town of Cambria Building Inspector, who is also the Code Enforcement Officer, issues building permits inside the town2. The office is at 4160 Upper Mountain Road, Sanborn, NY 14132, and the phone is 716-433-76642. The town asks callers to phone for an appointment2.

For a new house, the town's checklist lists what must be in hand before staff process the permit or assign an address: NYS certified stamped engineered blueprints, a survey showing the plot plan, a septic certification from the county, and an energy compliance report2. The application itself is written, signed by the owner or an authorized agent, and lists the tax-map number, street address, and construction documents14.

The Town Board sets the fee schedule by resolution, and we could not confirm the current dollar amounts, so ask the Building Inspector15. The same office notes that the state has issued new codes for 20262.

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

Yes. The Town of Cambria has its own zoning chapter, adopted by the Town Board3. Niagara County does not zone for the town; New York gives zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties16. The published code covers agricultural and residence districts, medium-density residential, business, industrial, planned-development, escarpment and recreational-campground districts6.

For RVs, the town's rule we can confirm covers parks and campgrounds: land cannot be used as a recreational vehicle park or campground without a permit and certificate of occupancy10. That rule does not tell you whether you may live in a single RV on your own lot while you build. We could not confirm the town's rules for living in an RV, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum house size, lot size or setbacks. Ask the Building Inspector, who handles zoning applications, and check district by district before you buy2.

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

Septic approval for new homes comes from the Niagara County Department of Health, not the town. No system may be constructed, installed, altered or extended in the Niagara County Health District without written approval from the Public Health Director17. For new construction on a vacant lot, a licensed New York professional engineer must prepare the plans8. The county lists design plan review at $290, on a fee schedule dated 201818.

Soils matter here. The county requires a stabilized percolation rate under 60 minutes per inch for ordinary leach lines, and a sand-filter system is the next option if testing fails17. Only about 1.6% of Niagara County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19. The county warns that the worse the soil and groundwater, the more expensive the system will be17.

The town's permit checklist asks for the septic certification from the county2. Call the Environmental Health Division at (716) 439-744420. We could not confirm a town-level septic rule, or a town well-permit rule, so ask both offices.

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

  1. Call the Building Inspector at 716-433-7664 to confirm zoning for your parcel and what the district allows2.
  2. Contact the Niagara County Environmental Health Division for septic plan review, with plans from a licensed engineer8.
  3. Gather the town's checklist items: stamped engineered plans, a plot-plan survey, the county septic certification, and an energy compliance report2.
  4. Apply in writing for the building permit; the town will not process it until the checklist is complete14.
  5. If the lot is on a state highway, get a NYSDOT permit for the driveway11.
  6. Keep work exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer inspects it12.
  7. Get the certificate of occupancy before moving in9.

What stays with Niagara County, and what should you check before you buy in Cambria?

Septic approval and pre-sale septic dye tests stay with the Niagara County Health Department21. A dye test requires the home to have been occupied for 30 days and cannot be done during frozen ground and snow cover21. Subdivision maps are filed with the Niagara County Clerk after review by the county Office of Real Property, but the town also regulates subdividing land inside Cambria2223.

Plan for taxes: Niagara County's effective property tax rate is 2.3%, with a median bill of $4052 a year2425. The county's rules for land outside Cambria are on the Niagara County page. We could not confirm the town's flood-hazard permit rules or its private-well rules, so ask the Building Inspector about flood zones on any parcel.

Watch-outs

  • The state adopted a new Uniform Code that applies to building permit applications beginning December 31, 2025, and the Cambria Building Inspector's page notes new codes for 2026262.
  • Agricultural buildings may be exempt from parts of the state code, but a municipality can still require a building permit and review the building under local zoning27.
  • We could not confirm Cambria's owner-builder rules, tiny-home rules, accessory-dwelling rules, lot sizes or setbacks; ask the Town of Cambria Building Inspector at 716-433-7664 before you buy2.
  • The Building Inspector keeps limited office hours and asks you to call for an appointment2.

Sources

  1. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Cambria Building Inspector / Code Enforcement Officer (townofcambria.gov)
  3. Chapter 288: Zoning — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  4. Disposal - Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 288: Zoning — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  7. Disposal - Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  8. Disposal - Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 173: Recreational Vehicle Parks and Camping Grounds — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  11. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 70: Building Construction and Fire Prevention — Town of Cambria, NY (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  16. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Niagara County Department of Health: Sewage Disposal program (niagaracounty.gov)
  18. Disposal - Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. Niagara County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (niagaracounty.gov)
  21. Disposal - Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  22. Real Property FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  23. Town of Cambria, NY Code of Ordinances (Town of Cambria), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Notice of Adoption, quoted and re-checked
  27. Agricultural Building Guidance, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Cambria

Town of Cambria’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Cambria that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, or specified solid-fuel equipment installation.

    • A permit must be obtained from the Town before work begins.
    • The application must be made in writing and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • Building permits become invalid if authorized work does not commence within six months and expire 12 months after issuance.
    • The applicable fee must be paid at application submission.

    commencement deadline: 6 months (After permit issuance; otherwise permit becomes invalid.) · permit expiration: 12 months (After permit issuance.)

    “Building permits required. 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 inside the Town of Cambria.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 70.
    “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

    Permitted construction inside Cambria.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when listed work is ready for inspection.
    • Remote inspection may replace in-person inspection at the authorized official's discretion.
    • Inspection fees are due before or at inspection.
    “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 structures converted to another use or occupancy classification inside Cambria.

    • A certificate of occupancy or compliance is required.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized Inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • Applicable flood-hazard certifications, Energy Code test results, special-inspection records, and manufactured-building seals may be required before issuance.
    “Certificates of occupancy and certificates of compliance required. A certificate of occupancy or 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 Cambria.

    • Chapter 288 was adopted by the Town Board and has subsequent amendments noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Cambria as amended through 2-10-2022. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Cambria.

    • The published Chapter 288 index identifies Agricultural and Residence Districts AR, Residence Districts R-1, Medium Density Residential Use Districts, B-1, B-2, I-1, P-D, Escarpment, Recreational-Campground, and MS4-R1 provisions.
    “Article III Agricultural and Residence Districts AR”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle parks and campgrounds on land inside Cambria.

    • A permit and certificate of occupancy are required for an RV park or campground.
    • A permit application is filed with the Zoning Officer and must include the fee set by Town Board resolution for each RV lot.
    • The number of lots is determined by the number certified by the Niagara County Health Department to be in use.
    • The permit is annual and expires December 31; permits issued on or after July 1 pay one-half the annual fee.

    permit term: 1 year (Must be renewed annually; expires December 31 following issuance.)

    “Any person being the owner of any land within the Town of Cambria shall not use or allow the use of such land for a recreational vehicle park or campground unless a permit and certificate of occupancy has been obtained as provided herein.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping grounds and recreational-vehicle parks inside Cambria.

    • A camping ground is land intended to be used or rented for occupancy by campers or recreational vehicles.
    • A permit and certificate of occupancy are required to use land for a campground or recreational-vehicle park.
    • This claim does not establish a rule for all other forms of temporary camping on private land.
    “A parcel of land intended to be used or rented for occupancy by campers or recreational vehicles.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Cambria.

    • The code publishes Chapter 215, Subdivision of Land; the particular approval steps and exemptions were not retrieved.
    “Chapter 215 Subdivision of Land (§ 215-1 – § 215-30)”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Town code-enforcement permits and inspections inside Cambria.

    • The Code Enforcement Officer collects fees set by the Town Board.
    • The opened code did not provide the current dollar schedule.
    “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 inside Cambria.

    • The application is written, on a form acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer, and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • It must include the location, nature, extent, scope, tax-map number, street address, occupancy classification, and applicable construction documents.
    • Work cannot commence unless a permit issues.
    “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 Cambria or Niagara County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Cambria.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Cambria zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family dwellings in Cambria zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Single-family dwellings in Cambria zoning districts.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Cambria.
14 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • 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

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 Cambria publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Niagara County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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