Onondaga County has no countywide defensible space requirement. Brush clearance is handled by individual town property maintenance codes.
Central New York's humid continental climate and heavy annual snowfall (often 120+ inches in Syracuse) keep wildfire risk low, so Onondaga County has never adopted a defensible-space ordinance comparable to western states. Brush and overgrowth are handled town by town through property maintenance codes adopted under NY Town Law and the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). The NY DEC enforces annual residential brush-burning bans March 16-May 14 statewide under 6 NYCRR Part 215, which reduces ignition risk during leaf-out. Properties adjacent to DEC-regulated wetlands or freshwater wetland buffers cannot clear woody vegetation without a permit. Syracuse, Clay, Salina, Manlius, and Cicero each enforce their own nuisance vegetation provisions through town code enforcement.
Town code enforcement typically issues a notice of violation with 10-30 days to abate. Unabated hazards can trigger municipal abatement with costs assessed to the tax bill. Burning during the March 16-May 14 ban carries a minimum $500 DEC fine.
Onondaga County, NY
Commercial noise regulated by municipal codes. Syracuse zoning limits industrial noise at residential property lines to 65 dBA day, 55 dBA night.
Onondaga County, NY
Commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs or bearing commercial signage are generally prohibited on residential streets overnight in Syracuse and most Onondaga Cou...
Onondaga County, NY
RV and boat parking regulated by town zoning codes. Most Onondaga County towns prohibit on-street RV parking over 24-48 hours and require side or rear yard s...
Onondaga County, NY
Street parking in Onondaga County follows NY Vehicle & Traffic Law plus local codes. City of Syracuse enforces odd-even street cleaning rules Nov 15-Apr 1 an...
Onondaga County, NY
Grass height enforcement is handled by individual towns in Onondaga County. Typical limits run 8 to 10 inches, with City of Syracuse enforcing a 10-inch maxi...
Onondaga County, NY
Rainwater harvesting is legal in New York with no state permit required for residential rain barrels. DEC encourages the practice for stormwater reduction.
See how Onondaga County's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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