Bolthole Index

Rockland County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Wesley Hills, New York

The Village of Wesley Hills, New York requires a village building permit for work that must conform to the Building Code, and the village runs its own zoning under Chapter 23012. The village Building Department issues the permits and inspects the work3. Septic plans in Rockland County are approved by the county Commissioner of Health, not the village4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the Building Code; issued by the village1
Zoning
Yes, village zoning under Chapter 2302
Zoning districts
R-50, R-35, R-20, R-15 and NS; unlisted uses are prohibited5
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a permitted building is used or occupied6
Septic
Plan approval from the Rockland County Commissioner of Health4
RV or tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the village Building Department5
Subdivision
Regulated by the village Planning Board under Chapter 1937

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Wesley Hills Building Department

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Village of Wesley Hills

845-354-0400

buildinginspector@wesleyhills.gov

432 Route 306, Wesley Hills, NY 10952

Septic permits

Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health

Septic system plan review and installation inspections in Rockland County, including inside villages

845-364-2656

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 Village of Wesley Hills means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Wesley Hills, NY?

Yes. The Village of Wesley Hills requires a building permit for any work that must conform with the Building Code, including construction, reconstruction, moving, demolition, structural alteration or a change of use1. Ordinary repairs that do not materially affect structural features are exempt, and so is an accessory building of 100 square feet or less on a one-family lot, but only if no electrical system is installed or extended1.

Work is inspected before it is enclosed or covered and at each stage of construction, and the owner or agent must notify the Building Inspector when work is ready8. No new building can be used or occupied until the Building Inspector issues a certificate of occupancy6.

Who issues building permits in Wesley Hills, and how do you reach them?

The Wesley Hills Building Department issues building permits and performs the inspections3. The Building Inspector is at Village Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays3. Call 845-354-0400 or email buildinginspector@wesleyhills.gov; Village Hall is at 432 Route 3063.

Applications go to the Building Inspector on the village's forms, and the Inspector generally approves or disapproves within 20 days unless Planning Board review is required9. Applications that need professional review can also carry escrow: if the account drops below $500, the board requires the applicant to replenish it10. Inside the village, the Building Department, not Rockland County or Clarkstown, is the office to call for building permits.

Does Wesley Hills have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Wesley Hills has its own zoning: Chapter 230 of the village code is the zoning chapter2. The published districts are R-50, R-35, R-20, R-15 and NS, and only uses specifically listed as permitted are allowed; any use not listed is prohibited5.

Lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height are set district by district in the village's Table of Dimensional Requirements, so the answer for a lot depends on which district it sits in1112. Check the village zoning map and the table for the parcel before you buy.

We could not confirm a village rule on living in an RV or tiny home, so ask the Building Department before planning either. Because unlisted uses are prohibited, do not assume they are allowed5.

How do septic permits work inside Wesley Hills?

Septic approval comes from Rockland County, not the village. Rockland County's Sanitary Code requires a plan to be filed with and approved by the Rockland County Commissioner of Health before a private sewage-disposal system is built, rebuilt or altered4. The county Department of Health reviews and approves system plans and inspects the installation13.

Where a public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, the code bars a new subsurface system, so confirm sewer availability for the lot first4. We could not confirm a separate village septic rule; the village Building Department can say whether sewer serves a given address. Countywide, USDA rates only a small share of soil as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system14.

Building a home in Wesley Hills: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and the dimensional limits for the lot in Chapter 2305.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect Planning Board review under the village's subdivision chapter, and the county Health Department also reviews realty subdivisions of three or more lots715.
  3. Get septic plan approval from the Rockland County Commissioner of Health, or confirm sewer connection4.
  4. Apply to the Building Inspector for a building permit9.
  5. Schedule inspections at each stage of construction8.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in6.

What stays with Rockland County, and what to check before you buy

The county, not the village, approves septic plans4. Rockland County has no countywide zoning; its municipalities run their own zoning16. For land outside the village, see the Rockland County page.

If the lot lies in a FEMA-mapped flood hazard area, a local floodplain development permit is required from the municipality17. Work near a county-regulated stream may also need a Rockland County Stream Control Act permit18. A driveway onto a state highway needs a NYSDOT permit19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which building code edition the village applies, or any owner-builder exemption inside Wesley Hills; ask the Building Department3.
  • We could not confirm village rules on accessory dwellings, short-term rentals, wells or driveways; the Building Department can point you to the right code chapter3.
  • Rockland County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%, and the median bill is $10,001 a year, so budget for taxes before you buy2021.

Sources

  1. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, § 230-36 Enforcement officials; building permits and certificates of occupancy and use (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 230 Zoning (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Wesley Hills Building Department (wesleyhills.gov)
  4. Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article IV – Waste Facilities and Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 230, Article V District Regulations (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, § 230-36 Enforcement officials; building permits and certificates of occupancy and use (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 193 Subdivision of Land (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, § 230-36 Enforcement officials; building permits and certificates of occupancy and use (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, § 230-36 Enforcement officials; building permits and certificates of occupancy and use (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 102 Fees (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 230, Article V District Regulations (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Wesley Hills, NY, Chapter 230, Article V District Regulations (Village of Wesley Hills), quoted and re-checked
  13. Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health (rocklandcountyny.gov)
  14. 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
  15. Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VII — Realty Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  16. General Municipal Law, quoted and re-checked
  17. Floodplain Management, quoted and re-checked
  18. Stream Control Act Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
  19. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

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 Village of Wesley Hills

Village of Wesley Hills’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work and construction within Wesley Hills village that must conform with the Building Code, including construction, reconstruction, moving, demolition, structural alteration, or a use change.

    • Ordinary repairs not materially affecting structural features are exempt.
    • Accessory buildings or structures of no more than 100 square feet accessory to one-family dwellings are exempt if no electrical system is installed or extended.
    • Permit applications are subject to plans, approvals, fees, and applicable laws.

    accessory-structure permit exemption floor area: <= 100 square feet (Only if accessory to a one-family dwelling and without installation or extension of electrical systems.)

    “A building permit is required for: Any work which must conform with the Building Code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work performed under a Wesley Hills building permit.

    • The owner, applicant, or agent must notify the Building Inspector that work is ready and schedule the inspection.
    • Inspection is required before enclosing or covering work and upon completion of each stage of construction.
    “Work for which a building permit has been issued hereunder shall be inspected for approval prior to enclosing or covering any portion thereof and upon completion of each stage of construction, including, but not limited to, building location, site preparation, excavation, foundation, framing, superstructure, electrical, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    A building or structure in Wesley Hills for which a building permit is required.

    • A certificate is also required for a change in use or occupancy, except a change to a use primarily agricultural.
    • An owner or agent must apply and supply specified as-built drawings and affidavit before issuance.
    “No building or structure or portion thereof for which a building permit is required shall be used or occupied in whole or in part until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued by the Building Inspector.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within the Village of Wesley Hills.

    • The code identifies Chapter 230 as the Village zoning chapter.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Wesley Hills 11-13-1984 by L.L. No. 14-1984. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land within Wesley Hills village subject to Chapter 230 zoning.

    • The published schedule identifies R-50, R-35, R-20, R-15, and NS districts.
    • Uses must be specifically listed as permitted or permitted by reference; other uses are prohibited.
    “Only those uses listed for each district as being permitted shall be permitted. Any use not specifically listed as being permitted shall be deemed to be prohibited.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoning districts R-50, R-35, R-20, and R-15 within Wesley Hills village.

    • The dimensional requirements are subject to all other Chapter 230 provisions.
    • Unless otherwise indicated, the listed dimensional requirements are minimum requirements.
    “The dimensional requirements listed for each district as designated are subject to all other provisions of this chapter and, unless otherwise indicated, shall be deemed to be the minimum requirement in every instance of their application.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoning districts R-50, R-35, R-20, and R-15 within Wesley Hills village.

    • Yard dimensions are in the adopted dimensional table and are subject to Chapter 230.
    “The Table of Dimensional Requirements, included as an attachment to this chapter, which lists the height of buildings, the size and dimension of yards, the area and coverage of lots, and other matters contained therein, is hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this chapter.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoning districts R-50, R-35, R-20, and R-15 within Wesley Hills village.

    • Lot coverage is governed by the adopted dimensional table and other Chapter 230 provisions.
    “The Table of Dimensional Requirements, included as an attachment to this chapter, which lists the height of buildings, the size and dimension of yards, the area and coverage of lots, and other matters contained therein, is hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this chapter.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoning districts R-50, R-35, R-20, and R-15 within Wesley Hills village.

    • Building height is governed by the adopted dimensional table and other Chapter 230 provisions.
    “The Table of Dimensional Requirements, included as an attachment to this chapter, which lists the height of buildings, the size and dimension of yards, the area and coverage of lots, and other matters contained therein, is hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this chapter.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Change of use to a primarily agricultural use inside Wesley Hills village.

    • The exemption identified is limited to a certificate of occupancy for a change in use; it does not establish a general exemption from zoning, building, or other requirements.
    “No change shall be made in the use or type of occupancy of an existing building or structure, or change in the use of land, except to any use which is primarily agricultural, unless a certificate of occupancy authorizing such change in use shall have been issued by the Building Inspector.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Wesley Hills village.

    • Chapter 193 includes Planning Board authority, compliance requirements, application procedures, required improvements, and design standards.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Wesley Hills 12-11-1984 by L.L. No. 20-1984. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village applications requiring professional review, including land-use applications inside Wesley Hills village.

    • The applicant must reimburse Village professional-review costs in addition to application fees.
    • The respective Board or TAC sets escrow in consultation with Village professionals.
    • If escrow falls below $500, the Board requires replenishment in an amount it determines.

    escrow replenishment threshold: < 500 USD (Applies when the escrow account is subsequently reduced below this amount.)

    “In the event that the escrow account is subsequently reduced to an amount below $500, the Boards shall require the applicant to replenish the account in an amount to be determined by the respective Board.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Wesley Hills village.

    • Application is made to the Building Inspector on forms provided by the Inspector.
    • Applications require described land, use or occupancy statement, valuation, owner/applicant details, and description of work.
    • Required plans and documents accompany the application.
    • The Inspector generally approves or disapproves within 20 days, except when Planning Board review is required.

    Building Inspector decision period: <= 20 days (Except where Planning Board review is required.)

    “Within 20 days of receipt of same, except where review by the Planning Board is required, he shall approve or disapprove the permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Wesley Hills or Rockland County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Wesley Hills village.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside Wesley Hills village.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land in Wesley Hills village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Wesley Hills village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Wesley Hills village.
11 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Village of Wesley Hills publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Rockland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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