Bolthole Index

Steuben County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Hammondsport, New York

The Village of Hammondsport, New York has its own zoning code and requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, including a new house12. The village's Zoning & Building Department handles both3. Where public sewer is not available, wastewater systems are approved by a Keuka Watershed Improvement Cooperative (KWIC) officer4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, village zoning code with published districts15
Building permit
Required for work that must meet the Uniform Code, with listed exemptions2
Inspections and certificate of occupancy
Required; the village Code Enforcement Officer inspects67
Septic
Wastewater system construction permit; KWIC officer approves where no public sewer89
Sewer connection
Required if public sewer is available within 100 feet of the property line10
Subdivision
Village approval required11

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Hammondsport, Zoning & Building Department (Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer)

Village zoning and building code enforcement inside Hammondsport

(607) 542-2175

Planning & zoning

Village of Hammondsport Clerk-Treasurer's office (also the contact for the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals)

Village hall; first call for the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, and for permit forms

(607) 569-3700

clerk@hammondsport.us

80 Shethar Street, Hammondsport, New York 14840

Septic permits

New York State Department of Health, Hornell District Office

State environmental health district office for Steuben County; Steuben County has no county health department delivering these services

607-324-8371

107 Broadway, Room 105, Hornell, NY 14843-0430

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

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Does Hammondsport, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Hammondsport administers its own zoning code, so zoning here is decided by the village, not by Steuben County1. New York counties have no general zoning power over land at all12.

The village code publishes these districts: LDR, MDR, LFRD Lakefront Residential, HDR, B-1, B-2 and I5. Which district a lot sits in decides what you can build on it.

We could not confirm the village's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, mobile homes, minimum lot size, setbacks or building height. Those live in the zoning code and its density schedule, so do not assume any of them is allowed. Ask the Zoning & Building Department which district your parcel is in and what that district allows3.

Do you need a building permit in Hammondsport, and who issues it?

Yes. The Village of Hammondsport requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including new construction of a residence2. The village's own Code Enforcement Officer administers it, not Steuben County. The county's code enforcement office covers only the Towns of Addison, Campbell and Tuscarora13.

The village code exempts some small work, such as certain detached sheds under 144 square feet, but an exemption does not allow work that breaks the code2.

The application is a written form signed by the property owner or the owner's agent, and work cannot start until the permit is issued14. Construction stays open for inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer, and a certificate of occupancy is required for work done under a building permit67. For forms and fees, call the Zoning & Building Department3.

How do septic permits work inside Hammondsport?

Inside the village, new wastewater systems are governed by the village's wastewater chapter, not by a county health department. No construction of a new or replacement system may start until a wastewater system construction permit is issued by the regulatory officer8.

If public wastewater disposal is not available, the wastewater must be treated by a system approved by a regulatory officer of the Keuka Watershed Improvement Cooperative (KWIC)4. New household systems are designed under the state's Appendix 75-A standards4.

If public wastewater disposal is available and accessible within 100 feet of the property line, new construction must connect to it10.

Steuben County does not run its own health department; state health district staff handle environmental health programs there15. We could not confirm any village rule on private wells, so ask the village clerk before you plan one16.

Building a home in Hammondsport: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district and what it allows with the Zoning & Building Department53.
  2. If you are dividing a lot, get village subdivision approval first11.
  3. Check whether public sewer is within 100 feet of your property line; if so, you connect to it10.
  4. If there is no public sewer, apply for a wastewater system construction permit and KWIC approval84.
  5. Submit a written building permit application signed by the owner or agent, and wait for the permit before any work starts14.
  6. Keep work exposed for inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer6.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy before using the building7.

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

Land outside the village is a different question. The county page for Steuben County covers it, and zoning outside the village depends on the town that contains the parcel17.

A driveway onto a New York State highway needs a state Department of Transportation permit18. We could not confirm a village driveway rule, so ask the village before cutting a new driveway3.

For a sense of cost, Steuben County's effective property tax rate is 2.5%19 and the median property tax bill is 3245 dollars a year20. County soil data rates 0% of soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and often an engineered system if no sewer reaches the lot21.

Watch-outs

  • Village zoning decides RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and setbacks, and we could not confirm those rules, so get the district rules in writing from the Zoning & Building Department before you buy3.
  • Do not go to the county planning counter for village permits; Steuben County's code enforcement covers only the Towns of Addison, Campbell and Tuscarora13.
  • We could not confirm whether the village offers an owner-builder exemption from building permits, so assume you need one2.

Sources

  1. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 122: Zoning (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 43: Building Code Administration (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Hammondsport, Zoning & Building Department (Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer) (hammondsport.us)
  4. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 117: Wastewater Management (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 122: Zoning (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 43: Building Code Administration (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 43: Building Code Administration (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 117: Wastewater Management (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 117: Wastewater Management (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 117: Wastewater Management (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 104: Subdivision of Land (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  12. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
  14. Village of Hammondsport, NY Code, Chapter 43: Building Code Administration (Village of Hammondsport), quoted and re-checked
  15. New York State Department of Health, Hornell District Office (steubencountyny.gov)
  16. Village of Hammondsport Clerk-Treasurer's office (also the contact for the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals) (hammondsport.us)
  17. Planning & Zoning Assistance, quoted and re-checked
  18. Residential Driveway Permits, quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  21. 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

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 Hammondsport

Village of Hammondsport’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in the Village that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including new construction of a residence.

    • The listed Chapter 43 exemptions apply, including certain detached structures under 144 square feet and specified minor work.
    • Exemption does not authorize noncompliant work.

    detached accessory-structure gross floor area exemption threshold: < 144 square feet (One-story detached structures associated with specified dwellings and used for tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses.)

    “Building permits are 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”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction subject to Village code enforcement inside the Village.

    • Construction inspections are conducted by the Village Code Enforcement Officer; inspection timing and scope are governed by Chapter 43.
    “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.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings or structures for which the Village issues a certificate of occupancy after construction inspection.

    • The record opened establishes inspection before certificate issuance, but the particular project types requiring a certificate were not resolved from the available section text.
    “A certificate of occupancy and 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 Village of Hammondsport.

    • Zoning is administered under Village Code Chapter 122.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hammondsport 7-29-1986 as L.L. No. 1-1986. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside the Village of Hammondsport.

    • District boundaries are governed by the official zoning map and Chapter 122.

    published zoning districts: LDR; MDR; LFRD Lakefront Residential; HDR; B-1; B-2; I

    “§ 122-9 LDR District. [...] § 122-10 MDR District. [...] § 122-10.1 LFRD Lakefront Residential District. [...] § 122-11 HDR District. [...] § 122-12 B-1 and B-2 Districts. [...] § 122-13 I District.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Wastewater systems inside the Village of Hammondsport that are not continuously licensed or regulated by NYSDEC or NYSDOH.

    • Systems subject to continuous NYSDEC or NYSDOH licensing or regulation are excluded from the Village chapter.
    • Where public disposal is unavailable, system approval is by a KWIC regulatory officer.
    “The provisions of these rules shall be in effect throughout the Village of Hammondsport and apply to all wastewater systems not subject to continuous licensing or regulations by the New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation hereafter referred to as "NYSDEC" or New York State Department of Health hereafter referred to as "NYSDOH."”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New residential, commercial, or institutional wastewater systems inside the Village where public wastewater disposal is unavailable.

    • A wastewater treatment system must be approved by a KWIC regulatory officer when no public wastewater disposal is available.
    • Chapter 117 separately includes § 117-13, Wastewater system construction permit.
    “No construction of new or replacement wastewater systems shall be commenced until an application for a "wastewater system construction permit" is reviewed and a permit is issued by the regulatory officer.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Non-public wastewater treatment for new construction inside the Village.

    • Allowed only where no public wastewater disposal is available.
    • Treatment system requires approval by a KWIC regulatory officer.
    • New household systems must be designed under current NYSDOH Appendix 75-A.
    “If there is no public wastewater disposal available, residential, commercial or institutional wastewater must be treated by a wastewater treatment system approved by a regulatory officer in the Keuka Watershed Improvement Cooperative hereafter referred to as "KWIC."”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    New construction inside the Village of Hammondsport.

    • Connection is required when public wastewater disposal is available and accessible within 100 feet of the property line.
    • Where it is unavailable, wastewater must be treated by a KWIC-approved system.

    public wastewater availability distance: <= 100 feet (Measured as accessible within the property line distance stated by § 117-5A.)

    “Wastewater from any new construction shall be discharged directly into public wastewater disposal systems if available and accessible within 100 feet of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Village.

    • Village Code Chapter 104 includes approval procedures for subdivisions, including minor and major subdivision plat procedures.
    “§ 104-6 Approval required to subdivide. [...] § 104-8 Plat for minor subdivision. [...] § 104-9 Preliminary plat for major subdivision. [...] § 104-10 Final plat for major subdivision.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside the Village.

    • Application must be written on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
    • It must be signed by the owner or authorized owner agent.
    • Work cannot commence until 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 by an authorized agent of the owner.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside the Village.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
  • Lot coverage — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Hammondsport publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Steuben County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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