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

Town of Farmington’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work in Farmington town that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including residential construction.

  • Exemptions include specified small playhouses or swing sets not exceeding 100 square feet, temporary sets and scenery, certain awnings, certain low partitions, finish work, listed portable equipment, equivalent replacement equipment, and qualifying non-life-safety repairs.
  • Exemption does not authorize work violating the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

  “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.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in Farmington town.

  • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
  • The permit holder must provide at least 24 hours' notice before a scheduled inspection.
  • Remote inspection may replace in-person inspection only at the discretion of the Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector.

  “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 C of this section is ready for inspection. Said notification shall be no less than 24 hours in advance of a scheduled inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Farmington.

  • Chapter 165 was adopted by the Town Board; amendments are noted where applicable.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Farmington 3-24-1980 (Ch. 36 of the 1969 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts in Farmington town.

  • District controls depend on the applicable mapped district and Schedule I.

  published districts: A-80; RR-80; RS-25; R-7.2; R-1-15; R-1-10; R-2; RMF; RB; NB; GB; LI; GI; PD; WEFD; overlays

  “§ 165-18 A-80 Agriculture District (80,000 square feet lot size). [...] § 165-34.2 MSOD Main Street Overlay District.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rental of residential property inside Farmington town.

  • The chapter regulates short-term residential rental business activity.
  • The code identifies a required permit and a Town fee schedule; the precise operative permit conditions require further section-level review.

  “Owners shall not use their property as a short-term residential rental without obtaining a revocable short-term residential rental permit from the Town of Farmington and a completed registration with Ontario County.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits in Farmington town.

  • Fee must be paid at submission for a building permit, amended permit, or renewal.
  • The actual Town fee schedule amount was not retrieved.

  “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 74-18 (Fees) of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in Farmington town.

  • Application must be in writing on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
  • It must be signed by the owner or authorized agent.
  • Work may not 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 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 Farmington or Ontario County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work in Farmington town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy in Farmington town.
• Minimum dwelling size — One- and two-family dwellings in Farmington town zoning districts.
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land in Farmington town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Farmington town.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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