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Pencil sketch by Mary Ann Barr 2021
The Town of Danby in New York
Town Hall, 1830 Danby Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
Town Clerk Appointments 11am–6pm Mon–Fri
Town Clerk 607-277-4788
Town Court 607-277-0095
Town Court Hours Mon-Wed 8am-11am
Building Permits
Building Permits are required for certain projects per Local Law #1 of 2007
ATTENTION: NYSTRETCH ENERGY CODE ADOPTED!
Please note that the Town of Danby adopted the NYStretch Energy Code in 2022. All new residential construction is now required to be built to these standards. Below please find additional information and resources.
- NYStretch Energy Code 2020 (See Section 3, page 56 for specifics related to residential builds)
- NYSERDA: NYStretch Energy Code – 2020 Frequently Asked Questions
- NYSERDA: Comparison Document compares the NYStretch-2020 supplement to the requirements it amends in the 2020 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (State Energy Code).
- NYSERDA: Build Better: A Guide for Energy Efficient Concepts for New Residential Construction
- NYSERDA: NYStretch 2020 Residential Cost Analysis Report
DO I NEED A PERMIT?
Per Town Law #1 of 2007, building permits are required for any work that 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.” We also require permits for solar or wind electricity-generating installations.
The most common exceptions to the permit requirement include:
- One-story detached structures associated with a one- or two-family dwelling or multiple single-family dwellings which are used for tool and storage sheds, playhouses or similar uses, provided the gross floor area doesn’t exceed 144 square feet;
- Swings or playground equipment;
- Above-ground swimming pools less than 24” deep;
- Fences not part of a swimming pool enclosure;
- Repairs that do not affect structural elements or means of egress.
Note: A complete list of exceptions is in Town Law #1 of 2007.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A PERMIT?
Generally, if the permit application package is complete and if no special zoning review is required, we can issue the permit within two or three days, depending on the current workload of our office. However, complicated projects involving extensive plan review may take longer.
WHAT DO I NEED IN ORDER TO GET A PERMIT?
- Completed Application for Building Permit
- Site Plan
- Notice of Ground Disturbance Worksheet
- Construction Plans depicting work to be performed
- Septic Permit from Tompkins County Health Department (The addition of any bedrooms to the total number being served by the septic system requires permission from the county health department.)
- NYS Energy Compliance Statement (Res Check or similar)
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Exemption
- Agricultural Activity Notice, signed by the property owner (not necessarily the applicant)
- Permit Fee (as determined by our office) made payable to Town of Danby
- Asbestos survey (for demolition projects)
The Town of Danby sits on the traditional & ancestral land of the Gayogoho:no’ (Cayuga Nation), one of the five nations to first form the Haudenosaunee. Indigenous peoples were largely forced out of Upstate New York by the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition in 1779. The land that would become the Town of Danby was a part of the Watkins and Flint Purchase, a 336,380 acre patent granted by New York State to numerous eastern investors in 1794.