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

Town of Hurley’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, or demolition of a building or structure in Hurley.

  • Exceptions in § 97-5K include specified minor work and repairs.
  • A permit issues only after a complete application and determination of Uniform Code conformity.

  “no person, firm, corporation, association or partnership shall commence the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof [...] without first having obtained a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Hurley.

  • The chapter has subsequently noted amendments.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Hurley 1-31-1983. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm operations within a New York State designated agricultural district in Hurley.

  • The exemption applies to the accessory-stables subsection of § 210-24.

  “Farm operations within a New York State designated agricultural district shall be exempt from the provisions of this subsection.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land in Hurley.

  • The chapter contains procedures for lot-line adjustments, minor subdivisions, preliminary plats, and final plats.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Hurley 4-8-1999 by L.L. No. 1-1999. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction and other development in Hurley areas of special flood hazard shown on the applicable Flood Insurance Rate Map.

  • Requires a valid floodplain development permit; applications require a Town Board-determined fee and may require reimbursement/deposit for review, inspection, and approval costs.

  additional-cost deposit: <= 500 USD (May be required by the local administrator to cover additional review, inspection, and approval costs.)

  “It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard [...] without a valid floodplain development permit.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals in all Hurley zoning districts.

  • Property must be owner-occupied and the owner's principal residence during the permit term.
  • An STR is prohibited at properties that are not owner-occupied.
  • An STR permit is required.

  “An STR is prohibited at properties which are not owner-occupied.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building and related premises permits in Hurley.

  • Fees are collected as set by the Town Board.

  “The fee schedule for building and related premises shall be as follows:”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications in Hurley.

  • Application includes the required fee; the Enforcement Officer may require documents, drawings, plans, and specifications.
  • Permit is issued only after a complete application and conformity determination.

  “A permit will be issued when the application has been determined to be complete and when the proposed work is determined to conform to the requirements of the Uniform Code.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work in Hurley.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Hurley zoning districts.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Hurley.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Hurley.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Hurley.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Hurley means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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