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

Town of Somers’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Somers, New York.

  • Chapter 170 has been amended; the code lists zoning amendments adopted in 2025.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Somers 4-14-1959. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision applications for land inside Somers town.

  • The Town Planning Department shares responsibility for review with the Planning Board.

  “The Town of Somers Planning Department currently shares in the responsibility for reviewing all subdivision and site plan applications submitted to the Planning Board by property owners.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Floodplain development inside the jurisdiction of Somers town.

  • The Planning Board acts with recommendations from the Town Engineer and Building Inspector; the rule concerns floodplain development permits under Chapter 102.

  “It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 102-6, without a valid floodplain development permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Planning and subdivision applications inside Somers town.

  • The source describes Planning Department and Planning Board review; it does not establish the complete process for every permit type.

  “The Town of Somers Planning Department currently shares in the responsibility for reviewing all subdivision and site plan applications submitted to the Planning Board by property owners.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Somers

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Separate sewage disposal systems serving new buildings or structures inside Somers town.

  • The code identifies new dwellings on undeveloped lots, teardowns to foundation walls, and expansions adding bedrooms as examples requiring County Health Department approval; County approval may be required in additional circumstances defined in local regulation.

  “Westchester County Health Department septic system review and approval, as may be deemed necessary by the Westchester County Health Department, shall be required for any of the following:”

• Septic permitRequired

  Separate sewage disposal systems for new buildings or structures inside Somers town.

  • County Health Department approval is identified for new dwellings on undeveloped lots, teardowns to foundation walls, expansions adding bedrooms, and potentially additional County-defined circumstances.

  “A building permit application for the types of construction set forth in Subsection A above shall include a copy of the Westchester County Health Department septic system approval.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Somers town.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Somers town.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Somers town.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Somers town.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered residential buildings inside Somers town.

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 Somers 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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