Syracuse

1. Confirm ReZone Syracuse zoning district eligibility (~5d)
   ReZone Syracuse (effective 2023-07-01, amended July 2024) replaced 1967 zoning. ADUs are now allowed as a 'missing middle' use in most residential districts. Confirm the parcel's new district (RA-1, RA-2, etc.) on the Syracuse Zoning Map. Owner-occupancy of one of the two dwelling units is required.
2. Pre-application review with Office of Zoning Administration (~14d)
   Optional but strongly recommended pre-app meeting with Zoning at City Hall Commons Room 500. Zoning verifies ADU compliance with the 2024 amended ordinance (use, dimensional, parking) before plans go to Permits.
3. Submit Building Permit Application to Central Permit Office (~7d)
   Hard-copy submittal to Central Permit Office, City Hall Commons Room 101, 201 East Washington Street, Syracuse, NY 13202. Plans, energy code (NYS ECCC) compliance, structural, plumbing, electrical, mechanical drawings required. Code Enforcement reviews in conjunction with Engineering, Fire Prevention, Zoning, Public Works, Preservation, Transportation, and Water.
4. Multi-department plan review (~35d)
   Permits coordinates concurrent review across departments. Properties in Syracuse Local Historic Districts (Armory Square, Hawley-Green, Walton, Westcott Theater, etc.) also route through Preservation. Properties in flood zones along Onondaga Creek route through Engineering for flood-elevation compliance.
5. Permit issuance (~7d)
   Once corrections cleared and fees paid, permit issues from the Central Permit Office. New York has no statutory ministerial deadline; Syracuse targets sub-90-day cycle but historic-district and flood-zone parcels can extend.
6. Construction inspections via Code Enforcement
   Schedule inspections (footing, foundation, framing, rough-in plumbing/electric/mechanical, insulation, final) through Syracuse Code Enforcement. Lead-paint protocols apply for pre-1978 conversions, which is most of the housing stock.
7. Certificate of Occupancy (~14d)
   Final inspection passes; CO issued by Code Enforcement. Required before lawful occupancy or rental of the ADU.

• Long-term rental: yes Long-term rental of ADU explicitly permitted; New York owner-occupancy preemption (where applicable) makes ADU eligible for full landlord-tenant treatment.
• Short-term rental: with-restrictions STR rules vary by city. Syracuse regulates STRs separately from ADU permitting; check local STR ordinance and HOA covenants.
• Office rental: with-restrictions Detached office rental requires home occupation permit or rezoning.
• Home office: yes Home occupation permitted with restrictions on signage and customer traffic.
• Studio / workshop: yes Personal artist studio is a permitted accessory use.
• Agriculture: with-restrictions Limited urban agriculture permitted in residential zones; livestock varies by district.
• Relative support: yes Family-occupancy ADU explicitly permitted in single-family zones.

Staff: Office of Zoning Administration (Zoning intake / ReZone Syracuse interpretation) zoning@syrgov.net, Central Permit Office (Building permit issuance), Syracuse Code Enforcement (Inspections and CO), Syracuse Fire Department - Fire Prevention Bureau (Plan review for fire/life safety)

• Water: City of Syracuse Department of Water (Skaneateles Lake / Otisco Lake source) · 21d connect · $4,500
• Sewer: Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection (Metro Syracuse WWTP) · 21d connect · $5,500
• Electric: National Grid (upstate NY) · 30d connect · $1,800
• Gas: National Grid (upstate NY) · 30d connect · $1,500

Realistic total: best 7mo · typical 11mo · worst 17mo

State ADU loans:

• Plus One ADU Program (statewide)
• Plus One ADU Pilot — New York City
• State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA)

New York has no statewide statute that voids HOA, condominium, or cooperative restrictions on ADUs. New York is unusual among states in that it has no general HOA-governance statute at all — common-interest communities are governed by a mix of the Condominium Act (RPL Article 9-B), the Cooperative Corporations Law, the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, and the Business Corporation Law depending on the form of the association. Restrictive covenants in declarations and bylaws therefore continue to bind ADU construction in HOA / condominium / co-op communities except where local zoning expressly preempts them (rare in NY).