Off-Grid Living in Chemung County, New York

I'll say this up front because it matters: Chemung County, New York does not have a countywide zoning code. That's not an oversight in my research, it's how the county is set up. Zoning and building permits are handled town by town (and by the City of Elmira), while the Chemung County Health Department runs the show for septic, wells, and drinking water across the whole county. So depending on what you're asking about, you're either dealing with your town hall or the county health department, and mixing those up is the biggest mistake I see people make when they start planning an off-grid parcel here.

Zoning and raw land. The county's Planning Board, per the county's own page, exists to advise on comprehensive planning and to review certain municipal zoning actions referred to it under NYS General Municipal Law §239-m. That's an advisory/referral role, not primary authority. The real answer to "can I put a structure on this vacant lot" lives in whichever town's zoning ordinance covers your parcel. I looked at the Town of Chemung's code as an example, and it's specific: any structure placed on the ground counts as a dwelling, and tents can't be used for residence without a permit from the Town Board. Every town will have its own version of this, so you have to pull the actual ordinance for your town.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. Same story, town by town. I saw claims online that Chemung County broadly "allows tiny homes as ADUs," but that traces to a commercial blog, not an official source, so I'm not passing it off as confirmed. Mobile home parks with five or more lots do need a Health Department permit under Part 17 of the NYS Sanitary Code, with annual inspections. For anything smaller, or an RV, or a tiny house on wheels, call the specific town's code office.

Building permits. Enforced locally by each town's code enforcement officer, who applies the International and NYS Building Codes and issues permits and inspections. No county building department exists.

Septic. This one's genuinely countywide. The Chemung County Health Department issues Construction Permits for any wastewater treatment system, though there's a homeowner registration exemption if you want to build it yourself. Aerobic treatment units are allowed if they meet NYS Sanitary Code and county Sanitary Code standards, but surface discharge of effluent is strictly prohibited. There's also a county policy against new septic system construction in winter, with an exception for failed existing systems.

Greywater and rainwater. I found no county-specific rules on either. Treat greywater as restricted under the general NYS baseline, and rainwater harvesting as permitted under the state baseline, but confirm nothing local overrides that.

Wells. No county-issued well construction permit turned up in my research; the Health Department's Environmental Health Services team offers guidance and disinfection fact sheets, deferring to NYSDOH standards for private wells.

Utility disconnection. No countywide rule requiring hookup. But the county Sanitary Code notes that a public water supply is considered "accessible" if within 500 feet of a premises, which can trigger connection requirements during subdivision or sanitary review, depending on your town.