Bolthole Index

Steuben County, New York

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

The Town of Urbana, New York requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the town's own Code Enforcement Officer issues it12. Outside the Village of Hammondsport, the town also sets its own zoning3. Septic work is covered by the town's wastewater law4, and the state Health Department's Hornell District Office handles onsite wastewater for Steuben County5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work under the Uniform Code, issued by the town's Code Enforcement Officer12
Zoning
Town zoning applies outside the Village of Hammondsport3
Septic
Town wastewater permit rules; state Health Department Hornell District Office for Steuben County45
Small sheds
No permit for a detached shed under 144 square feet1
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work done under a building permit6
Short-term rentals
Revocable special-use permit, valid for 1 year7
Property tax
Steuben County's effective rate is 2.5%8

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Town of Urbana Town Hall

Main town contact for reaching the Code Enforcement Officer and for zoning questions

607-569-3743

clerk@townofurbana.com

8014 Pleasant Valley Road, Bath, NY 14810

Building permits

Town of Urbana Code Enforcement Officer

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Urbana

Septic permits

New York State Department of Health, Hornell District Office

Environmental health protection, including septic and onsite wastewater review, for Steuben County

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

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Does the Town of Urbana have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The Town of Urbana, in Steuben County, regulates the location, construction, alteration, occupancy and use of buildings and the use of land through its own zoning chapter, and divides the town into zoning districts3. That chapter covers only land outside the Village of Hammondsport, so a parcel inside the village follows the village's rules instead3. New York counties have no zoning power, which is why Steuben County does not zone Urbana9.

We could not confirm the minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, setbacks or height limits for Urbana's residential districts, and we could not confirm how the zoning treats RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes. Ask the Town of Urbana10 for the zoning map and the district that covers a specific parcel before you make an offer. Do not assume that any of these uses is allowed or banned.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Urbana, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Urbana requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or the Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition, and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance, chimney or flue1. The town's own Code Enforcement Officer reviews applications and issues permits, and applications must be made in writing2.

The town lists exemptions. A one-story detached shed or playhouse associated with a one- or two-family home needs no permit if it is under 144 square feet1. Fences that do not enclose a pool and other minor work are also listed as exempt, though exempt work must still meet the code11.

Steuben County does not issue building permits here. The county's code enforcement program covers only the Towns of Addison, Campbell and Tuscarora12. Work may not start before the permit is issued1.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Urbana?

Septic work in the Town of Urbana is covered by the town's wastewater management chapter, and construction must follow the specifications approved in the wastewater system construction permit4. The chapter does not apply to systems continuously licensed or regulated by the state environmental or health agencies4.

Where public sewer is available and accessible within 100 feet of the property line, new construction must connect to it13. Where it is not, wastewater must be treated by a system approved by the town's designated regulatory officer13. We could not confirm who holds that role, so ask Town Hall10.

Near water, rules tighten. In Zone 1, which covers onsite systems within 200 feet of a lake or watercourse, systems are scheduled for inspection every 3 to 5 years14. USDA rates 0% of soils in Steuben County as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15.

For state-level review of onsite wastewater, the Hornell District Office of the state Health Department serves Steuben County16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Town of Urbana?

We could not confirm the Town of Urbana's rules on living in an RV, camping on private land, tiny homes or manufactured homes. The town has zoning and a campground chapter, but the private-land rules were not confirmed, so do not treat silence as permission.

Two points are firm. First, any structure that is a dwelling falls under the building permit and certificate of occupancy rules16. Second, the statewide camping limit of 14 nights applies to state campgrounds, not to your own land17.

One narrow town provision exists for occasionally inhabited sites such as hunting camps with no pressurized water or wastewater discharge, where the regulatory officer may allow a privy or other nonwaterborne system18. Ask Town Hall10 before moving anything onto a lot.

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

  1. Confirm the parcel is outside the Village of Hammondsport and ask Town Hall10 which zoning district applies3.
  2. Check the septic path: public sewer within 100 feet, or an approved onsite system, and the Zone 1 rules near water1314.
  3. If the driveway will join a state highway, apply to the state transportation department first19.
  4. Submit a written building permit application to the Code Enforcement Officer2.
  5. Wait for the permit before starting work1.
  6. Keep work accessible and exposed, and notify the Code Enforcement Officer when each element is ready for inspection20.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy after inspection before you move in6.

What stays with Steuben County, and what should you check before you buy in Urbana?

Steuben County's planning page says zoning varies by municipality and sends readers to the municipality for official maps and laws, so the county cannot answer a parcel's zoning question21. Read the county overview at Steuben County for the county-wide picture.

Before buying, also check these items. If any part of the lot sits in a mapped flood hazard area, the town requires a development permit before construction begins22. Steuben County's effective property tax rate is 2.5%8, and the median property tax bill is $3,245 a year23. A property sale can also trigger septic obligations, since the town's wastewater rules mention property transfers14. Short-term rental plans need a revocable special-use permit that lasts 1 year7.

Watch-outs

  • Inside the Village of Hammondsport, the town's zoning chapter does not apply, so check the village's rules and the village office before buying there3.
  • We could not confirm RV, tiny-home, accessory-dwelling or manufactured-home rules, or minimum lot sizes and setbacks, so ask Town Hall10 about the parcel's district before you commit.
  • A building permit is required before work starts, and a certificate of occupancy is required for permitted work16.
  • A driveway onto a New York State highway needs a state transportation permit; driveways on town or county roads were not confirmed19.

Sources

  1. Chapter 57: Fire Prevention and Building Construction - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Urbana Code Enforcement Officer (ecode360.com)
  3. Article I: General Provisions - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 103: Wastewater Management - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  5. Steuben County Environmental Services (2026 county census)
  6. Chapter 57: Fire Prevention and Building Construction - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Urbana Local Law No. 1 of the year 2024: Short-Term Rentals (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  8. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  9. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Urbana Town Hall (townofurbana.com)
  11. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 103: Wastewater Management - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 103: Wastewater Management - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. New York State Department of Health, Hornell District Office (steubencountyny.gov)
  17. Campground Rules and Regulations (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Chapter 103: Wastewater Management - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  19. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Chapter 57: Fire Prevention and Building Construction - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  21. Planning & Zoning Assistance, quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 59: Flood Damage Prevention - Town of Urbana, NY (Town of Urbana), quoted and re-checked
  23. 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 Town of Urbana

Town of Urbana’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

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

    • Listed Chapter 57 § 57-4B exemptions apply, including certain detached sheds under 144 square feet and specified minor work.
    • Work may not commence before the Code Enforcement Officer issues the permit.

    detached shed exemption threshold: < 144 square feet (One-story detached structure associated with one- or two-family dwellings or townhouses, used for tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses.)

    “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 work in Urbana where the specified construction element is applicable.

    • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when an identified element is ready for inspection.
    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    “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 buildings or structures converted to another use or occupancy classification in Urbana.

    • A prior inspection is required before issuance.
    • The work must comply with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.
    “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 in the Town of Urbana outside the Village of Hammondsport.

    • The cited zoning chapter expressly excludes land situated inside the Village of Hammondsport.
    “regulates and restricts the location, construction, alteration, occupancy and use of buildings and structures”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Onsite wastewater-system construction inside Urbana subject to Chapter 103.

    • System construction must follow the specifications approved in the wastewater system construction permit.
    • The Town chapter does not apply to systems continuously licensed or regulated by NYSDEC or NYSDOH.
    “Construction of a system shall be in accordance with the specifications approved in the wastewater system construction permit.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Onsite wastewater systems in Urbana's Zone 1 critical water-protection zone.

    • Zone 1 covers onsite wastewater systems within 200 feet of a lake or watercourse.
    • The first required inspection for newly installed systems is no sooner than five years after installation, or one year for a holding tank, unless earlier action is required by a property transfer or complaint.

    Zone 1 inspection interval: 3 to 5 years (First inspection timing for newly installed systems is separately specified.)

    “Systems in Zone 1 will be scheduled for inspection a least once every three years to five years. For newly installed wastewater systems, the first required inspection shall be no sooner than five years after installation or one year after for holding tank, unless a property transfer or a complaint requires sooner action.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Occasionally inhabited Urbana sites such as hunting camps with no pressurized water or wastewater discharge.

    • A regulatory officer may allow the listed alternatives.
    • The site must be only occasionally inhabited and have no water under pressure or wastewater discharge.
    “If the site is only occasionally inhabited, such as a hunting camp, and has no water under pressure or wastewater discharge, the regulatory officer may allow a sanitary privy, other nonwaterborne systems as describe in Appendix 75-A, design a system, or request that an engineered system be designed when site conditions are limiting.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    New construction inside Urbana where a public wastewater disposal system is available and accessible within 100 feet of the property line.

    • If no public wastewater disposal is available, wastewater must be treated by a system approved by a KWIC regulatory officer.

    public wastewater availability distance: <= 100 feet (Measured from the property line.)

    “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.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in areas of special flood hazard within Town of Urbana jurisdiction.

    • Applies only to areas of special flood hazard.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before the start of construction or any other development within the area of special flood hazard”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental premises inside Urbana.

    • A revocable short-term-rental special-use permit is required.
    • The permit is valid for one year and must be renewed 30 days before expiration if the premises will continue operating as a short-term rental.

    permit validity: 1 year (Renewal must occur 30 days before expiration for continued operation.)

    “A Short-Term Rental Special Use Permit shall be valid for one (1) year and must be renewed thirty (30) days prior to expiration”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Urbana.

    • Application is written, on a Code Enforcement Officer form or an acceptable form.
    • The application must be signed by the owner or authorized agent and include information sufficient to determine Uniform Code and Energy Code compliance.
    “Applications for a building permit shall be made in writing”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Urbana.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts in Urbana outside the Village of Hammondsport.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts in Urbana outside the Village of Hammondsport.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts in Urbana outside the Village of Hammondsport.
  • Lot coverage — Residential zoning districts in Urbana outside the Village of Hammondsport.
9 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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 Urbana publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Steuben County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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