Bolthole Index

Orleans County, New York

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

The Town of Kendall, in Orleans County, New York, requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the Code Enforcement Officer issues the application approval1. Kendall has its own zoning chapter, adopted by the Town Board2. Septic approval is not spelled out in the town code we reviewed; the Orleans County Health Department, Environmental Health is the office to ask3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work covered by the Uniform Code; apply through the Code Enforcement Officer1
Zoning
Town of Kendall has its own zoning chapter2
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work4
Minimum lot (RA district, not on public water or sewer)
60,000 square feet5
Septic
Orleans County Health Department, Environmental Health3
Subdivision
Regulated under the town's subdivision chapter6

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Kendall Code Enforcement Office

Building permit applications, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Kendall

(585) 659-8721

1873 Kendall Road Kendall, New York 14476

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Kendall, NY?

Yes. Kendall's construction-code chapter requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or the Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, relocation and solid-fuel heating installs, and work cannot start until the Code Enforcement Officer's permit is in hand1. The town lists exempt categories such as specified fences, shallow above-ground pools, certain retaining walls and limited repairs, but an exemption never authorizes work that violates the code1.

Inside the Town of Kendall, the town code enforcement program administers the state Uniform Code and Energy Code7. For the full state picture of what a small shed or repair may skip, see8.

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

The Town of Kendall's own Code Enforcement Officer handles building permit applications, not Orleans County. The town's code-enforcement page says to call that office to make the application, then bring the approved application to the Kendall Town Clerk's office, where the permit is issued9. The office is reachable at (585) 659-8721 and Town Hall is at 1873 Kendall Road in Kendall9.

Applications are written on a form the Code Enforcement Officer accepts, signed by the owner or an authorized agent, and include the Tax Map number, street address, occupancy classification and construction documents10. Fees follow a schedule set by the Town Board, with building-permit fees due when you apply11.

Does the Town of Kendall have zoning, and what do lot sizes and setbacks look like?

Yes. The Town of Kendall has its own zoning chapter, adopted in 1992 and amended in its entirety in 20112. Orleans County does not zone land itself; its planning department reviews local zoning actions and keeps a directory of town codes12. Dimensional rules depend on the district.

In the Residential/Agricultural (RA) district, the minimum lot is 60,000 square feet where the lot is not hooked into public water or sewer, and 20,000 square feet with public sewer or 28,000 square feet with a private septic tank where those services are available5. RA setbacks are 90 feet in front and 30 feet on the sides and rear without hookups, or 25 feet on the sides and rear where served13. Maximum height is 35 feet outside served lots14.

In the Residential/Hamlet (RH) district, the minimum lot is 20,000 square feet with public sewer15, with a 15-foot side and 20-foot rear setback16. In RA and Rural Residential districts, dwellings on lots served by public water or sewer must hook in1718.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Kendall?

The Orleans County Health Department's Environmental Health program reviews on-site septic systems for land in the county, and appears to be the office for Kendall addresses3. The Kendall town code we reviewed ties lot size to Health Department septic specifications but does not name who issues septic permits, so confirm with the Health Department before you pay for a design.

Soil matters: only about 2% of soils in Orleans County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19. Statewide, alternative systems need plan approval from the state or county health official before construction20.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Kendall?

We could not confirm Kendall's rule on RV occupancy or tiny homes. The zoning chapter includes a camping-units section, but we did not obtain its operative text from an official page. Ask the Code Enforcement Office at (585) 659-8721 before you park an RV on a lot or plan a tiny home9. Any dwelling still needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy4. Statewide DEC campground limits apply to state campgrounds only and do not answer living on your own land.

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

  • Confirm your lot's zoning district and whether public water or sewer serves it, using the town zoning chapter2.
  • If you are dividing land, start with the town's subdivision chapter6.
  • Ask Orleans County Environmental Health about septic approval3.
  • Call the Code Enforcement Office to apply for a building permit, then collect it from the Town Clerk9.
  • Keep work exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer inspects it21.
  • Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in4.

What stays with Orleans County, and what to check before you buy in Kendall

Septic review, the county Planning Board's review of local zoning actions and county roads sit with Orleans County, not the town. For land outside the town, see the Orleans County page. A driveway onto a state highway needs a NYSDOT permit22. Flood-hazard rules apply locally, so ask the Code Enforcement Office whether a parcel is in a mapped flood area23.

Orleans County's effective property tax rate is 3%24, and typical home value is $208,79525.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Kendall's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, wells or driveways; call the Code Enforcement Office at (585) 659-87219.
  • The town code we reviewed does not name who issues septic permits, so confirm with the Orleans County Health Department, Environmental Health3.
  • A permit exemption does not authorize work that violates the Uniform Code or Energy Code1.

Sources

  1. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 265: Zoning — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  3. Orleans County NY - Health Department (2026 county census)
  4. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  5. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 210: Subdivision of Land — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  8. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Kendall Code Enforcement Office (townofkendallny.gov)
  10. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  12. Planning, quoted and re-checked
  13. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  14. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  15. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  16. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  17. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  18. Article V: District Regulations — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), 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. NYS Register March 18, 2015 Rule Making Activities — Standards for Individual Onsite Water Supply and Individual Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 64: Construction Codes, Uniform — Town of Kendall, NY (Town of Kendall), quoted and re-checked
  22. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Kendall

Town of Kendall’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

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

    • Exempt categories in § 64-4B include specified playground equipment, shallow above-ground pools, specified fences, certain retaining walls, temporary scenery, specified awnings, short partitions, finish work, listed portable equipment, qualifying equipment replacement, and limited repairs.
    • conditions do not authorize work that violates the Uniform Code or Energy Code.
    • Work cannot commence until a permit is obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer.
    “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 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 Kendall.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 64, all buildings, structures, and premises regardless of use or occupancy are subject to Chapter 64.
    “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 the Town of Kendall.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction in Kendall where the listed construction element is applicable.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when a listed element is ready.
    • Listed inspections include site, footing/foundation, slab preparation, framing, systems, fire-resistant work, solid-fuel equipment, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.
    “Work to remain accessible and exposed. 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 or portions converted to another use or occupancy classification in Kendall.

    • Use or occupancy is granted only by a certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • The certificate is issued if completed work complies with applicable Uniform Code and Energy Code provisions.
    “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 Kendall.

    • The chapter was adopted by the Town Board on 5-14-1992 and amended in its entirety on 11-21-2011; subsequent amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Kendall 5-14-1992; amended in its entirety 11-21-2011. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Kendall.

    • Chapter 210 includes procedures for plan submission and approval, application procedure, and recording.
    “§ 210-6 General procedures for plan submission and approval. [...] § 210-31 Application procedure. [...] § 210-32 Recording.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Code-enforcement permits and related Kendall applications.

    • The Code Enforcement Officer provides direction and fee schedules set by the Town Board.
    • Building-permit fees are due at application submission; inspection fees are due before or at inspection; certificate fees are due at application submission.
    “To provide direction and fee schedules as set by the Town Board of the Town of Kendall to enable and assist the Town Clerk in collecting code enforcement permit fees;”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Kendall building-permit applications.

    • Application must be written on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
    • It must be signed by the property owner or authorized agent.
    • Required information includes work description, Tax Map number, street address, occupancy classification, any applicable special-inspection statement, and at least two sets of compliant construction documents.
    • Work may not begin until a permit issues.

    construction document sets: >= 2 sets (Where construction documents are required by § 64-4D(5).)

    “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 owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner shall sign the application.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Kendall

Town of Kendall does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential/Agricultural District (RA).

    • The 60,000-square-foot standard applies where not served by public water and/or sewer, or where served but dwellings are not hooked into those systems.
    • Where served by public water and/or sewer, the standard is 20,000 square feet with public sewer or 28,000 square feet with private septic tank system.

    minimum lot size not hooked to public water/sewer: 60000 square feet · minimum lot size with public sewer: 20000 square feet · minimum lot size with private septic tank system: 28000 square feet

    “Minimum lot size: 60,000 square feet. [...] Minimum lot size: 20,000 square feet with public sewer; 28,000 square feet with private septic tank system.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential/Hamlet District (RH).
      “Minimum lot size: 20,000 square feet with public sewer, or a lot size sufficient to provide Health Department specifications for adequate sewage/septic disposal.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential/Agricultural District (RA).

    • For areas not served by public water and/or public sewer, and served lots with dwellings not hooked into those systems: front 90 feet; side and rear 30 feet.
    • For areas served by public water and/or public sewer: front 90 feet; side and rear 25 feet.

    front setback: 90 feet · side setback without hookup: 30 feet (Principal and accessory buildings.) · side setback served area: 25 feet (Principal and accessory buildings.)

    “Front: 90 feet. [...] Side: 30 feet (principal and accessory buildings). [...] Rear: 30 feet (principal and accessory buildings). [...] Front: 90 feet. [...] Side: 25 feet (principal and accessory buildings). [...] Rear: 25 feet (principal and accessory buildings).”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential/Hamlet District (RH).
      “Thirty-five feet from Town roads. [...] Twenty-six and half feet from county and state highways. [...] Side: 15 feet. [...] Rear: 20 feet (principal and accessory structures).”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Residential/Agricultural District (RA), for areas not served by public water and/or public sewer or served lots not hooked into the systems.

    • Agricultural storage facilities and airport structures are excepted.

    maximum building height: 35 feet (Except agricultural storage facilities and airport structures.)

    “Maximum building height: 35 feet, except agricultural storage facilities and airport structures.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Dwellings or dwelling units in the Residential/Agricultural District (RA) on lots served by public water and/or public sewer.

    • The requirement applies to lots served by public water and/or public sewer.
    • The source states water and/or sewer, rather than requiring both services at every parcel.
    “Areas served by public water and/or public sewer. [...] All dwellings/dwelling units located on a lot must be hooked into public water and/or public sewer systems.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Conditional — Dwellings or dwelling units in the Rural Residential District (RR) on lots served by public water and/or public sewer.
      “Areas served by public water and/or public sewer. [...] All dwellings/dwelling units located on a lot must be hooked into public water and/or public sewer systems.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Kendall.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Kendall.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Kendall.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Kendall.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Kendall.
10 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Kendall publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Orleans County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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