Bolthole Index

Ontario County, New York

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

The Town of South Bristol, Ontario County, New York has its own zoning law and requires a building permit for every structure of 144 square feet or more12. The Town Code Enforcement Office issues those permits, and a new septic system or a septic repair also needs a building permit from the town3. A new home needs well and septic approval before the building permit can issue2.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Chapter 170 of the Town Code, run by the Town Code Enforcement Officer1
Building permit
Required for structures of 144 square feet or more, structural changes to a home and roof work2
Septic permit
New or repaired septic systems need a town building permit; an inspection and report is required before the property transfers34
RV living
Guest RV on a resident's lot for up to 3 weeks; no rule for living in an RV year-round was confirmed5
Minimum home size
720 square feet for a year-round single-family home; 400 square feet for a qualifying seasonal home on an old nonconforming lot6
Mobile homes
Allowed on individual lots if HUD certified and the lot meets district minimums7
Driveways
Town highway driveways need a permit from the Superintendent of Highways8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of South Bristol Code Enforcement Office

Building permits, septic building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy and zoning administration inside the Town of South Bristol

585.374.6341

ceo@southbristolny.gov

6500 Gannett Hill Rd. West Naples, NY 14512

Septic permits

New York State Department of Health - Geneva District Office

State environmental-health enforcement for Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties

315-789-3030

624 Pre-Emption Road, Geneva, NY 14456-1334

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

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Does the Town of South Bristol, NY have zoning?

Yes. The Town of South Bristol adopted its own zoning law, Chapter 170 of the town code, and the Town Code Enforcement Officer administers it1. District boundaries are on the Official Town Zoning Map filed with the Town Clerk, so check the map for your parcel before you plan anything9. Ontario County does not adopt or run zoning for its towns; each town sets its own10.

Rules differ by district, so ask the Code Enforcement Office which district a lot is in before relying on any setback or use. Subdivisions go to the town Planning Board, which folds subdivision review into site-plan review11.

Do you need a building permit in South Bristol, NY?

Yes. South Bristol requires a building permit for all structures of 144 square feet or more, and for structural changes to a residence, conversions of living space, roof work, and new or repaired septic systems2. All structures must also meet the town setbacks for the zoning district12.

New York's Uniform Code lets a town exempt small sheds and playhouses, and the state's cap on that exemption is 144 square feet13. South Bristol's own threshold is the same 144 square feet2.

After a permit issues, the owner or contractor must call the Code Enforcement Office to schedule inspections and get a final Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Occupancy14. We could not confirm a local owner-builder exemption; ask the Code Enforcement Office12.

Who issues building permits in South Bristol, and how do you reach them?

The Town of South Bristol Code Enforcement Office issues building permits inside the town, not Ontario County1215. The office is at 6500 Gannett Hill Rd., West Naples, NY 14512, and the phone is 585.374.634112. Email is ceo@southbristolny.gov12.

The office is open Monday through Thursday and closed Friday, and the town asks for at least 24 hours' notice for building permit inspections12. Anyone inside town limits who is sent to an Ontario County counter has been sent to the wrong office for building permits.

How do septic permits work in South Bristol, NY?

Inside South Bristol, a new or repaired septic system requires a building permit from the town3. For a new home, well and septic approval must come before the building permit can issue2. Selling is covered too: a septic system inspection and report is required before transfer of real property4.

The New York State Department of Health Geneva District Office is the primary state enforcement body for environmental health rules across Ontario County16. We could not confirm which office reviews septic designs; ask the Code Enforcement Office first, then the Geneva District Office.

Ontario County's soils matter here: about 12.5% of its soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in South Bristol, NY?

Only briefly in an RV. South Bristol lets residents place a guest's recreational vehicle on their lot for no more than 3 weeks, and it needs water, electrical service and a self-contained sewage system5. The RV must sit at least 15 feet from a building on a neighboring lot and at least 10 feet from side and rear lot lines5. We found no town rule that lets you live in an RV on your own land while you build; ask the Code Enforcement Office.

Campgrounds are special uses in only five districts18. Tiny homes face a size floor: a year-round single-family home must be at least 720 square feet19. A seasonal home of at least 400 square feet is allowed only on a preexisting nonconforming lot where the 720-square-foot home would need a lot-coverage variance19. Mobile homes on individual lots must be HUD certified and have compliant water and sewage systems before occupancy7.

Building a home in South Bristol: the steps, in order

  1. Find your zoning district on the Official Town Zoning Map, filed with the Town Clerk9.
  2. Get well and septic approval, which must come before a new-home building permit2.
  3. Apply for a building permit from the Code Enforcement Office; a home must be at least 720 square feet if year-round26.
  4. Get a driveway permit from the Town Superintendent of Highways if the driveway meets a town highway8.
  5. Schedule inspections through the Code Enforcement Office14.
  6. Receive the final Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance before you move in20.

What to check before you buy land in South Bristol, NY

Ask the Code Enforcement Office about the zoning district, setbacks and flood-prone areas; the town page links a floodplain-development permit application, but we could not confirm its scope. Budget for the septic inspection and report required before a sale4.

For land outside town limits, use Ontario County's page. Ontario County's effective property tax rate is 2.2% and the median bill is $4,460 a year2122. The county's typical home insurance premium is $997 a year23.

Watch-outs

  • Short-term rentals in South Bristol need a permit under the town's Chapter 141 local law, effective July 26, 202324.
  • Driveways onto a town highway need a permit from the Superintendent of Highways; driveways onto county roads are handled by Ontario County825.
  • We could not confirm which building code chapter the town adopted, whether utility connection is required, or any agricultural permit exemption; ask the Code Enforcement Office12.

Sources

  1. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  2. Code Enforcement – South Bristol, NY (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  3. Code Enforcement – South Bristol, NY (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  4. Code Enforcement – South Bristol, NY (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  10. County and Community Maps | Ontario County, NY, quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of South Bristol Code Enforcement Office (southbristolny.gov)
  13. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Code Enforcement – South Bristol, NY (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  15. NYS Department of State - Building Standards and Codes (2026 county census)
  16. New York State Department of Health - Geneva District Office (ontariocountyny.gov)
  17. 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
  18. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of South Bristol Chapter 170, Zoning (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  20. Code Enforcement – South Bristol, NY (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  24. South Bristol, NY – Official website (Town of South Bristol), quoted and re-checked
  25. Highway Work Permit: Driveway Permit Checklist/Instructions, quoted and re-checked

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 South Bristol

Town of South Bristol’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Structures of 144 square feet or more, structural residential changes, living-space conversions, roof work, and new or repaired septic systems inside South Bristol town.

    • The official page lists separate project-specific requirements and states that well and septic approval are needed before a new-home building permit can issue.

    structure area threshold: >= 144 square feet (Town page states a building permit is required for all structures at or above this size.)

    “A building permit is required for all structures 144 square feet or more.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work for which South Bristol has issued a building permit.

    • The owner or contractor must contact the Code Enforcement Office to arrange inspections under the permit.
    “Once a building permit has been issued, the property owner/contractor is responsible for contacting the Code Enforcement Office to set up inspections per the permit to receive a final Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Occupancy.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Permitted work inside South Bristol town where the final approval is a Certificate of Occupancy.

    • The permit holder must arrange inspections to receive the final Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance.
    “Once a building permit has been issued, the property owner/contractor is responsible for contacting the Code Enforcement Office to set up inspections per the permit to receive a final Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of South Bristol.

    • Chapter 170 is administered by the Town Code Enforcement Officer.
    “This chapter shall be known as the "Zoning Law of the Town of South Bristol, Ontario County, New York State."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside South Bristol town.

    • District locations and boundaries are on the Official Town Zoning Map filed with the Town Clerk.
    “The location and boundaries of the foregoing districts are hereby established and delineated on the Zoning Map, as amended and filed with the Town Clerk of the Town, which said map is hereby made a part of this chapter and declared to be the Official Town Zoning Map of the Town of South Bristol.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Year-round single-family residences inside South Bristol town.

    • A qualifying seasonal residence on a preexisting nonconforming lot may be at least 400 square feet.

    minimum floor area: >= 720 square feet (Year-round single-family residence.)

    “Year-round single-family residences shall be no less than 720 square feet. Where a preexisting lot is nonconforming due to lot size and lot width, and a year-round single-family residence of 720 square feet cannot be built without a variance from the lot coverage requirement, a seasonal residence of less than 720 square feet, but no less than 400 square feet may be constructed.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    A guest recreational vehicle located on a resident's lot inside South Bristol town.

    • Stay may not exceed three weeks; vehicle needs water, electrical service, and adequate self-contained sewage disposal; it must be at least 15 feet from a neighboring-lot building and 10 feet from side or rear lot lines.

    maximum guest RV stay: <= 3 weeks

    “Unless otherwise provided herein, residents of the Town may have located upon their lots a recreational vehicle of a guest as long as: (1) The length of stay is no longer than three weeks. (2) The recreational vehicle has been provided with water supply, electrical services and an adequate self-contained sewage disposal system. (3) The recreational vehicle is not located closer than 15 feet to any building on a neighboring lot and no closer than 10 feet to the side or rear lot line.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Campgrounds inside South Bristol town.

    • Campgrounds are special uses only in R-1, R-3, R-5, NC, and C-1 districts; units are for temporary habitation, travel, vacation, and recreation; permanent external appurtenances and foundations are prohibited.

    minimum campground site area: >= 15 acres

    “Campgrounds may be permitted as a special use in the R-1, R-3, R-5, NC and C-1 Districts, provided that:”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Year-round single-family residences inside South Bristol town.

    • A seasonal dwelling on a preexisting nonconforming lot may be 400 to less than 720 square feet where a 720-square-foot year-round home cannot be built without a lot-coverage variance.

    year-round single-family minimum floor area: >= 720 square feet (A qualifying seasonal residence may be at least 400 square feet.)

    “Year-round single-family residences shall be no less than 720 square feet. Where a preexisting lot is nonconforming due to lot size and lot width, and a year-round single-family residence of 720 square feet cannot be built without a variance from the lot coverage requirement, a seasonal residence of less than 720 square feet, but no less than 400 square feet may be constructed.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes on individual lots inside South Bristol town.

    • The mobile home must meet district minimum lot-size requirements, have compliant potable-water and sewage systems before occupancy, be HUD certified, and be tied down and skirted before the certificate of occupancy issues.

    minimum mobile-home living area: >= 720 square feet

    “All mobile homes shall be certified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New or repaired septic systems inside South Bristol town.

    “A building permit is required for septic systems new or repair.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Transfer of real property with an onsite wastewater system inside South Bristol town.

    • The stated requirement is triggered before transfer of real property.
    “You need to obtain a septic system inspection and report prior to transfer of real property (see more information below).”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision-related development inside South Bristol town.

    • Where subdivision regulations apply to a proposed development, the Planning Board integrates their procedure and submission requirements with site-plan review.
    “Whenever the particular circumstances of a proposed development require compliance with either the special use procedure in this chapter or the requirements of the Town subdivision regulations or SEQR regulations, or if a variance is required, the Planning Board shall attempt to integrate the site plan review as required by this section with the procedural and submission requirements for such other compliance.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway entrances or exits connecting to Town highways in South Bristol town.

    • Applies to installing, cutting, constructing, locating, relocating, or modifying a driveway entrance or exit; approval comes from the Town Superintendent of Highways.
    “No person, firm or corporation shall, after the effective date hereof, install, cut, construct, locate, relocate or modify the location of any driveway entrance or exit to any Town highway of the Town of South Bristol without having first received a permit to do so from the Superintendent of Highways of the Town of South Bristol.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental properties inside South Bristol town.

    • A permit is required; the applicable local law became effective July 26, 2023.
    “Effective July 26, 2023, new local law Chapter 141 Short-Term Rental local law, forms, and fee schedule are located under Town Government / Code Enforcement. No properties should be operating a short-term rental without a permit.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Short-term-rental permit applications inside South Bristol town.

    • A completed application, supporting documents, and nonrefundable fee are required; the Code Enforcement Officer has 30 days for inspection and certification; Planning Board floor-plan review and public hearing follow.

    Code Enforcement Officer inspection period: <= 30 days (After acceptance of a completed short-term-rental application and fee.)

    “Upon the Code Enforcement Officer's acceptance of the completed permit application, all documents and information required by this section and the application fee, the Code Enforcement Officer shall have 30 days to conduct a property inspection to certify and approve that all short-term rental requirements have been met.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside South Bristol town.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside the Town of South Bristol.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside South Bristol town.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction and land use inside South Bristol town.
  • Building in a floodplain — Development in flood-prone areas inside South Bristol 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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of South Bristol publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Ontario County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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