We read this municipality’s code, but parts of our finding still need confirming. Treat it as a starting point and confirm with the code office.
The Town of Seneca (Stanley area) lists accessory apartments as allowed in its R-2 district, but sets no detailed rules that we could find.
The code lists an accessory apartment as an allowed use, but in a limited form or with few written standards.
Whether any of this applies to your lot depends on your zoning district and your property.
The rules we found
| What the code says | Limited apartment allowed |
|---|---|
| Detached (backyard) unit | Not determined |
| Inside or attached | 'Accessory apartment' is a permitted use in the R-2 Medium Density Residential district; an accessory apartment on the second floor of an existing commercial building is permitted in C-2 |
| Size limit | Not found |
| Bedrooms | Not found |
| Owner must live on site | Not found |
| How approval works | Permitted use (building permit process not confirmed) |
| Other rules | The zoning law lists accessory apartments, but no definition or rules for them were found, so ask the town what it requires. |
Code section: Zoning Law Art. VI §28.0 (R-2 permitted uses) and §46.0 (C-2). Zoning law adopted July 2008; PDF includes 2018 changes
What we’re still confirming
- Standards for accessory apartments
- Whether R-2 covers much land in this rural town
- Amendments after 2018
Before you spend money on drawings
- Confirm the Town of Seneca governs your lot: it should be the municipality on your property tax bill.
- Find your zoning district on the municipal zoning map; the rules above can differ by district.
- Call or write the code office with your address and what you’re picturing, and ask for the answer and the code section in writing.
- On septic or a well? Ask the NYS Department of Health’s Geneva District Office (315-789-3030) whether the system can serve an extra bedroom. On public sewer? Ask your sewer district.
Our guides explain the approval process, site and utility checks and what an ADU costs.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. The Town of Seneca decides what can be built on your property.