Here are some answers to questions we frequently hear from Vestal residents. If
you don't find an answer to your question here, please don't hestitate to contact us for assistance.
No. In order to 'Grieve' your assessment, you must provide proof of the value of your property. You cannot make the assumption that your neighbors' assessments are correct. They may not be correct. The best proof of value of your property is a recent appraisal. In lieu of a recent appraisal, you need to research recent comparable sales of like properties in your area. The Assessor's Office provides sales books for your convenience.
Our offices are located at 133 Front Street.
Permits are required to be sure that installations of equipment and construction work is performed in compliance with the required Codes. Our primary goal is to have a safe community for people to live, work and play in and this is one part of accomplishing that goal. Also, the Town is required by New York State to enforce codes which require permits to be issued, inspections to be performed and finalized.
Today, virtually every construction project requires the issuance of a building permit. Commercial and residential new construction, alterations, additions, and remodeling, fireplaces, gas inserts and pellet stoves all are governed by the Codes and do require the issuance of building permits.
Please see the Required Construction Inspection Listing.
You can download the appropriate forms from this website, or stop into our office and pickup the appropriate forms. Follow the instructions and then turn in all the completed information.
From the time your completed application, complete plans, and fee are submitted to our office, the building permit/plan review period is between 2 to 4 weeks. Our plan review process is detailed. Please plan accordingly.
Our inspectors require a 2 business day notice for any required inspection. Voice mail requests are not accepted and do not guarantee an inspector is available for your request.
The applicant of record for the permit is required to call for inspections. This individual may be the homeowner, contractor, architect/engineer, or some other designated person. It is that individual's responsibility to insure that all required inspections are called for, carried out, and all corrections made and re-inspected.
You may contact your local Building/Code Enforcement office, various websites offered in our Links section, our local library currently has a set of codes, or they may be ordered from sites in our Links section.
The Building Department is not involved with the assessment for your property. Please contact your local tax assessor for this information.
Please contact our office for information and requirements for sub-division, increasing, decreasing or creating new parcels. Property may only be altered or created in compliance with the Code.
No, all property is required to be a certain size, shape and have the required frontage on an approved road. We cannot issue any permits for illegal lots. This is true in just about every town, village or city.
A zoning variance is a decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals allowing the construction or use of a building or parcel of land in a way contrary to the Code of the Town of Vestal. For example, allowing a house to be constructed closer to the property line than the Code directs. The application information for a zoning variance may be downloaded from this website.
The zoning map approved by the Town Board details the various zoning districts. Please contact our office for the zoning district of your parcel. The zoning district regulations/ordinances may be downloaded from this website.
According to the Code of the Town of Vestal, Chapter 20, Article I, Section 20-2, "All snow, ice and other obstructions upon any public sidewalk in the town, shall be removed by the owner or occupant of the adjoining land immediately after such snow, ice or other obstruction is deposited thereon." For complete information, please contact the code enforcement department.
According to New York State Education Law, Article 147 Section 7307, most commercial construction projects will require plans be stamped by a NYS licensed design professional. When a residential project outside NYC equals or exceeds 1500 sq ft or $20,000 ($10,000 in NYC)], in total materials and labor construction costs, your plans must be reviewed and stamped by a NYS licensed architect or engineer. Reviewed and stamped plans provide a clear understanding of the project and have the added confidence of being properly designed and engineered.
Generally there are few restrictions on renting single family homes. There are restrictions on the actual number of unrelated people that occupy a residence. The Town Code states that not more than 5 unrelated adults living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit are allowed. The building cannot be internally "subdivided" and remodeled to create dwelling units unless building permits are applied for and issued legally.
The term that is used in the Town of Vestal for in-home businesses is "Customary Home Occupation". These are only permitted in RA-2 and R-R zoning districts and are strictly regulated. This information can be downloaded from this website.
Yes. They are permitted in mobile home parks or as permitted by the Zoning Board of Appeals for an existing non-conforming mobile home. Contact us for the details.
Currently there are no restrictions on the placement or storage of garbage cans.
Property line disputes such as this are not in the realm of the Vestal Code Enforcement office. We recommend that you discuss this with a legal representative.
Yes, there is a requirement that is contained in the Property Maintenance Code of New York. The maximum height is 10 inches.
Yes, recreational fires like this are permitted under certain conditions. Contact the Fire Marshal or Fire Code Inspector for that information.
A junk vehicle is a vehicle that is not immediately ready to be legally driven on a road. Proper inspection, license and insurances are all required to be in place and current.
Of course! We encourage people to learn more about our department and the resources that are available. Come see us.
Yes, and annual Operating Permit is required. Registration of any and all "business entity engaged in the construction, repair, remodel or alteration of buildings or any system or component which is a part thereof..." is now a requirement in the town. A personal appearance is required at our offices, (133 Front St) to fill out paperwork and receive information. Please call for an appointment.
You may purchase your license from any Town or City Clerk in the State of New York. The license cost is $40.00 (check or cash), is good for 60 days and has a 24 hour waiting period from the time of issue. If there have been previous marriages by either of you, you are required to bring the most recent divorce, annulment papers and/or death certificates. Both of you must to come into our office. Picture ID is required for which your driver license can be used and your birth certificate, passport or baptismal record is acceptable for proof of age. --- THERE IS NO BLOOD TEST ---
New York State requires all dogs to be licensed at 4 months of age. A current rabies vacation certificate and spay/neuter certificate (if applicable) are required. A spaying or neutering certificate is required for the first license after the procedure is done. From that time on, that information will be printed on the renewal license.
The license of a spayed or neutered dog is $15.00 and an unspayed or unneutered dog is $25.00. A $5.00 late fee will be applied to any dog license renewal after 5 business days from the expiration date.
The license can be obtained by either coming into our office or sending the information and check by mail.
Both Mail-In New York State Voter Registration forms and Absentee Ballot Applications are available through our office. If you are l8 years old or older, you may register to vote. If you move, even if it is next door, or if your name has changed, you will need to register. The County Board of Elections sends cards to each registered voter stating that they are registered and where their polling place is. If you have any questions about voting or have registered and not received that card you need to contact the County Board of Elections at (607) 778-2172 or 778-2249.
Yes. Handicapped permits are issued to Town residents only. We have application forms in our office or we can mail one to you. You need to complete the top portion of this form and your doctor will complete the bottom portion. When the form is completed, we issue the permit immediately.
There are notaries in the Town Hall. There is no charge for this service.
No. A Doing Business As (DBA) is obtained at the County Clerks Office. If the business will be conducted in the Town of Vestal, you might want to check with our Code Department to see if there are any restrictions or permits needed. They can be reached at (607) 748-1514 Ext 312.
The Town of Vestal Town Board holds Work Sessions the 1st, 2nd and 4th Monday evenings at 6:00 PM.
Regular Town Board meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 PM.
All of these meetings are open to the public.
The Town Board committees do not hold regularly scheduled meetings.
One of the residents of the street has to pass a petition obtaining signatures from 90% of the neighbors in favor of the party. This petition has to be presented to the Town Board. At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Board will approve/deny the request. If the request is approved, the Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Squad has to be notified.
While all vital records are on file in the Town Clerk's office, our Town Historian assists with genealogical research. She can be reached at her office which is located at the Vestal Public Library. (607) 754-4243. Ask for Margaret Hadsell.
The Broome County Distrcit Attorney's Office can be reached at: (607) 778-2198
Call Dog Control as soon as you know your dog is missing. If we are closed, leave a voicemail with a description of the dog and how we can contact you. Vestal Dog Control Phone number: (607) 748-1514 ext 319. For a list of DCO's in Broome County go to this site http://www.gobroomecounty.com/community/BCDogControlOfficers.pdf
Call (607) 748-1514 ext: 319 to speak with the Dog Control office. If closed, follow the instructions given.
All dogs four months of age or older that are owned or harbored in the Town of Vestal must be licensed.
If you live in Vestal you may obtain a dog license by filling out this form License letterand bring it or mail it to the Clerk's office.
No, you can contact the Front Street Dog Shelter at (607) 778-2493 for this service.
Call the Engineering Department and we'll take care of contacting NYSEG.
Please have a location available though with a street and house number that the light is close to. If there is no house number available the numbers on the pole will work as well.
Please specify the problem with the light such as: the light is out or the light blinks on and off.
The Town of Vestal is responsible for the maintenance of 6 traffic lights within the Town:
- Main St. at Stage Rd.
- Main St. at Vestal Rd.
- Vestal Rd. at African Rd.
- Vestal Rd. at Sycamore Rd.
- Vestal Rd. at Commerce Rd.
- Vestal Rd. at Campus Plaza.
All others are the responsibility of the NYSDOT. If you feel there is an operational problem with any of the 6 lights listed above, please feel free to contact the Engineering or Police Departments.
The Town of Vestal participates in a 50/50 sidewalk replacement program where the homeowner pays half of the cost along with the Town. A representative of the Engineering Department will take measurements and draw up a contract for the homeowners to sign, then the Highway Department will replace the sidewalks time and weather permitting.
The Town Highway Department replaces curb/gutter without any charge to the homeowner. After you call the Highway Department you will be placed on a list. The curbs are done in the order in which they are called in.
Flood zones are determined by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and are designated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). Depending on what flood zone you are in you may be required to have flood insurance on your home along with regular homeowners insurance. Call the Engineering or Code Department to have your property reviewed.
As a homeowner you must hire a contractor to repair your sewer lateral. If the problem is between the property line and the main in the road the Town may reimburse you for a portion of the replacement cost. Please call the Sewer Department to prearrange the Town's share of the cost.
Whenever any excavation work is to be done Dig Safely New York is called to mark out where there are underground facilities such as: water/sewer lines, underground telephone/cable, gas lines and storm sewer lines. This minimizes the likelihood of damaging an underground line and the loss of facilities during excavation. As a homeowner you are also required to call if you are doing any excavating yourself on your property. The number for Dig Safely New York is 1-800-962-7962.
This depends on what street you live on. Call the Highway Department and the Superintendent or the Deputy will tell you where the right of way is on your particular street.
Roads are evaluated and prioritized on a yearly basis.
The snow plow crews have routes that begin from the highway garage to each neighborhood. Your street will be plowed according to where you are on the route. The main roads are done on a priority basis.
Our leaf pickup starts at the beginning of October and continues until they are all picked up or there is too much snow to find them. Simply rake your leaves to the road side and our crews will be around to pick them up as soon as possible. Please, no sticks or any other foreign objects. It slows or presses and can beak down our machines.
Our brush pickup starts in April and continues to the end of June. We stop our pickups for the months of July and August so we can catch up on the road work the needs to be done. We start again in September and go until we have to switch our machinery over to pickup leaves.
Please place all brush at the curb (not in the road) with the cut ends facing the road. No vines (they plug our chippers) No thorns, we recycle our wood chips to residents of Vestal, they often use them in play areas for children.
The common explanation is that Vestal was named by Robert Harpur, a professor of Greek and Latin after whom Harpur College was named. Vesta was a Roman goddess of the fire and its hearth, and Vestal was the name of the virgins who kept the sacred fires burning in the temple.
Unfortunately, documentation to support the naming by Harpur has never been found and census records do not list a family named Vestal residing in the Town of Union at the time the name “Vestal” was used. Although we now have one family living in the township with the surname Vestal, to date our name remains a mystery.
The area South of the Susquehanna River, known today as Vestal, was formed from the Town of Union in 1823.
Originally called Hotaling Road, African Road was named for the African American families who owned farms at the top of the hill.
Powderhouse Road is named for the brick powder houses, used to store black powder, that were built into the hillside near the intersection with Jutland Road. The road was formerly known as the Vestal Center- Binghamton Road and Sugar Creek Road.
The first stadium, Veteran's Memorial field, was dedicated to the Veterans who served in World War II on Friday, October 5, 1951.
A firewall helps make your computer invisible to online attackers and blocks some malicious software such as viruses, worms, and trojans. A firewall can also help prevent software on your computer from accessing the Internet to accept updates and modification without your permission.
Firewalls come in both software and hardware form, but hardware firewalls are intended for use in addition to a software firewall.
Windows Vista and Windows XP both include a firewall. To learn more, read Understanding Windows Firewall.
It is important to have both a firewall and antivirus software turned on before you connect to the Internet. Read more about firewalls.
Antivirus software helps protect your computer against specific viruses and related malicious software, such as worms and trojans. Antivirus software must be kept up to date. Updates are generally available through a subscription from your antivirus vendor.
It is important to have both antivirus software and a firewall turned on before you connect to the Internet. Read more about viruses.
Yes. A firewall helps stop hackers and viruses before they reach your computer, while antivirus software helps get rid of known viruses if they manage to bypass the firewall or if they've already infected your computer.
One way viruses get past a firewall is when you ignore its warning messages when you download software from the Internet or e-mail.
Read more about how to help protect your computer against viruses.
Antispyware software helps detect and remove spyware from your computer. "Spyware" (also known as "adware") generally refers to software that is designed to monitor your activities on your computer.
Spyware can produce unwanted pop-up advertising, collect personal information about you, or change the configuration of your computer to the spyware designer's specifications. At its worst, spyware can enable criminals to disable your computer and steal your identity.
Antispyware software is an important tool to help you keep your computer running properly and free from intrusion.
Read more about spyware.
Spam filters (sometimes broadly referred to as "e-mail filters") evaluate incoming e-mail messages to determine if they contain elements that are commonly associated with unwanted or dangerous bulk mailing.
If the filter determines that an e-mail message is suspicious, the message usually goes to a designated folder, and links and other code in it are disabled. Then you can evaluate the message more safely at your convenience.
Read more about how to keep spam out of your inbox.
A phishing filter is usually a component of a Web browser or Internet toolbar. It evaluates Web sites for signs that they are connected with phishing scams.
Phishing scams use e-mail and Web sites that look identical to those that belong to legitimate sources (such as financial or government institutions) but are actually hoaxes. If you click links in the e-mail or enter your user name, password, and other data into these Web sites, it gives scammers information they can use to defraud you or to steal your identity.
The Microsoft Phishing Filter is available today in Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and in Windows Vista. To learn more, see Phishing Filter: Help protect yourself from online scams.
Read more about the signs of phishing scams in Recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mail.
I.T. Dept is located at 601 Vestal Parkway West, Vestal, New York 13850. Click Here for link
A virus is a manmade program or piece of code that causes an unexpected, usually negative, event. Viruses are often disguised games or images with clever marketing titles such as "Me, nude."
Computer Worms are viruses that reside in the active memory of a computer and duplicate themselves. They may send copies of themselves to other computers, such as through email or Internet Relay Chat (IRC).
A Trojan horse program is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign application; a Trojan horse program purposefully does something the user does not expect. Trojans are not viruses since they do not replicate, but Trojan horse programs can be just as destructive.
Many people use the term to refer only to non-replicating malicious programs, thus making a distinction between Trojans and viruses.
Anyone interested in working in law enforcement should contact Broome County to learn when exams will be given. The Personnel Office can be reached at 607-778-2185.
No. The Broome County Sheriff's Department oversees all pistol permits in the county. The pistol permit bureau can be reached at 607-778-2113.
Under New York State Law, anyone who is operating a motor vehicle that is involved in an accident where someone else's property has been damaged or someone has been injured, must stop and provide the property owner their drivers license and insurance information including his or her home address. If the owner of the property is not available at the time, the driver must report the incident to the nearest police station as soon as physically able.
When the officer has completed the accident investigation, a copy of the report may be obtained during normal business hours (Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) at the Vestal Police station located at 605 Vestal Parkway West. It is recommended that you call ahead so the report will be ready when you come to pick it up. The records department number is 607-754-2386.
No. Person's needing fingerprinting for emplyoment should contact the Broome County Sheriff's Department ID division. The Broome County Sheriffs Office phone number is 607 778-2924.
There is no on-street parking anywhere within the Town between the hours of 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM from December 1st through March 31st.
The Vestal Police Department is governed by the Freedom of Information Law (New York State Public Officers Law, sections 84-90) as far as releasing records that are requested. In most cases a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request must be submitted to the Vestal Town Clerk and it is then forwarded to the appropriate Town department for review. You will be notified within five business days regarding your request. There is a $.25 per page charge to offset copying costs.
Anyone who wants to discuss confidential information or who would rather leave anonymous tips may call the Detective Division at 607-754-2477 ext. 347. Because you may be forwarded to the voice mail system, information that is of an emergency nature should be passed on by calling 607-754-2111 for an immediate response.
According to New York State Law, you must comply with a police vehicle and pull over when the emergency lights have been activated. Keep in mind that safety, both yours and the officers, are of prime importance. As soon as you see the emergency lights, turn on your turn signal to let the officer know that you are preparing to pull over. You should pull as far to the right shoulder of the roadway as possible. You should have your drivers license, vehicle registration, and insurance card available for the officer. It is a good idea to turn your vehicles's interior lights on at night. It is also recommended that you keep your hands visible to the officer by placing them on the steering wheel. Following these simple tips will insure that both you and the officer will be safe and that the stop will be as brief as possible.
Once a ticket is issued, it is the responsibility of the Vestal Town Court. They can be reached at 607-748-1514 if you have any questions.
The Receation Department is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Occasionally we are all out of the office preparing for a program. Please call ahead if you must speak with someone.
Reservations are taken through the Recreation Department at 754-3368. There are four picnic shelters. Rental on Monday through Friday is $20.00 for Vestal Residents and $30.00 for Non-residents; the rental for Saturday or Sunday is $50.00 for Vestal Residents and $60.00 for Non-residents. Alcohol is prohibited.
Town of Vestal residents differ from Vestal School residents. Anyone who pays their town tax bill to the Town of Vestal or owns property in the Town of Vestal is considered a resident. Because Town of Vestal tax dollars fund the recreation programs, town residents receive priority. Non-residents pay an additional $10.00 fee per program.
Program fees can be paid in cash, by check or money order made out to the Town of Vestal. Credit cards are not accepted.
A registration form must be completed and submitted with the program fee. You can mail in the form and fee, bring it to the office during regular hours, drop it in the mail slot of the office door after hours. The form is available in PDF format in the Registration section.
Seasonal help is needed, especially in the summer. Playground Instructors, Sports Camp Instructors, and Lifeguards/Swimming Instructors are hired annually. Applications are available on January 3rd and must be submitted by April 1st to be guaranteed an interview. Vestal residents are given priority.
The office is located at 516 Front Street which parallels Route 434. The office, a small white house on the north side of Front Street, shares the building with the Assessor and Tax Collector.
Small claims court is held during regular Town Hall hours only.
When an applicant applies for a building permit through the Building/Zoning Office, the building/zoning inspector will determine whether or not a project will require approval by the ZBA.