Frequently Asked Questions - All FAQs

Owners of dogs 4 months or older can obtain a license and tag by submitting proof of rabies vaccination and, if completed, a spay/neuter record.  Letters of renewal will be sent to the owner on a yearly basis.    

The Town Clerk is authorized to issue a NYS Marriage Licenses. Both parties must appear and provide the following documentation proof: 

• Birth certificate with raised seal 
• Proof of identification:  such as a driver's license or passport 
• Divorce decree(s) with recorded date stamp
• Death certificate (if applicable)
• Record of Birth Name Change (if applicable)                                                                                                         License fee is $40.00

The Town Clerk issues Temporary and Permanent Disability New York State Parking Permits to qualified residents of the Town of Rush.

Application  MV-664.1 2/17 can be obtained from the DMV website or from your physician.  Provide a signed Application for the Town Clerk with your drivers or non-drivers license.  For more information, please contact the Town Clerk's office.  

The Town Clerk Issues New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Fishing Licenses. 

Anyone 16 years or old must have a New York State Fishing License in order to fish. Please visit the Town Clerk, an official License Issuing Agent, contact the DEC or order online through their website.  New York Department of Environmental Conservation (kalkomey.com)

For more information on Fishing Licenses and fees associated, please go  to the NYSDEC website at nysdec.gov.       

The Town Clerk is the Records Management Officer for the Town.  In this role, the clerk receives and processes all requests for information.  

Complete this FOIL Request form and submit it by email to pam@townofrush.com or in person at the Town Hall.  Please be specific with your requested information.    

The signer must provide a government issued identification and wait to sign the document in the presence of the Notary Public.     

The local Assessor's Office can assist you.  These are a few key points:

There is no cost to grieve an assessment.

Use Form RP-524 Complaint on Real Property Assessment to grieve your assessment. The form is available from the NYS Tax website (www.tax.ny.gov) or from your assessor's office or the Assessor Department page.  

Mailbox and Lawn Damage

During the snow and ice season, the Highway Department will replace any mailbox damaged by a town vehicle, provided it was in good repair and located in the right-of-way prior to being damaged. Lawn damage due to snow and ice removal operations performed by town vehicles will be repaired in the spring by the Highway Department.

Yes, there is a No Parking Ordinance that is in effect on all roads within the Town of Rush between the hours of 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM from November 1st to April 15th of each year.

Changes to properties and structures often require a Building Permit under the Codes of the Town of Rush. The following are some guidelines to help you determine if a permit may be required.

A Building Permit is required to:

1. Erect, add onto, relocate or make structural changes to a building. This includes: an attached or detached accessory building such as a garage, carport, breezeway, storage shed, porch or patio, or permanently enclosing an existing porch.
2. Install, relocate or remove interior partitions or walls.
3. Enlarge, decrease or otherwise modify existing doors or windows.
4. Install fire escapes, cellar stairs fire-rated enclosures or fire-retarded cellar ceilings in multiple dwellings.
5. Repair fire damage.
6. Demolish any structure.
7. Erect an attached or unattached, open or covered deck.
8. Install or replace a masonry chimney or metal flue stack.
9. Install a swimming pool, in-ground or above ground.
10. Install a permanent outdoor fireplace or barbecue.
11. Install a fuel tank, gasoline tank, or other flammable liquid or gaseous tank either above or below grade.
12. Install a satellite antenna.
13. Install or replace a solid burning or gas burning device (i.e. wood stove, gas insert, etc.)
14. Re-roof a dwelling.
15. Install or replace plubming fixtures.
16. Install or replace any electrical outlets, wiring, permanent fixtures and breatker or fuse boxes.  Any new or replacement electrical service installations also require a permit.
17. Install a fence.
18. Install or replace windows and exterior doors.
19. Install or replace a generator.
20. Install or replace solar panels.
21. Install a new driveway.

A Building Permit is NOT required to:

1. Make ordinary repairs which replace existing materials with new materials of like class and kind. For example, replacing porch steps or railings or making a minor roof repair or minor repair to a chimney or foundation wall does not require a permit.
2. Install or replace gutters or downspouts.
3. Install nonconductive, nonmetal siding.
4. Install or replace sidewalk on private property.
5. Pave or replace an existing driveway.as long as you are not increasing the length or width of the driveway. If you are changing the dimensions of the driveway, you may need approval from the Planning Board before you proceed.

This information has been put together to help answer the most frequently asked questions about residential construction.

1. A BASEMENT CANNOT BE USED FOR LIVING SPACE UNLESS IT HAS:
   1. A primary entrance/exit.
   2. An opening for emergency use that leads directly to the exterior, such as another door or window no higher than 4'6" off the finished floor, with 18" of clear opening and a 4 sq. ft. minimum total opening.
   3. A ceiling height of at least 7'6".
   4. One exterior wall the entire length of the habitable space, at or lower than the floor level of the space.
   NOTE: Recreation rooms are a different situation. Please visit the Building Department for your particular area.

1. INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR STAIRS MUST HAVE:
   1. Minimum tread depth of 9" plus 1 1/8" nosing for closed riser stairs.
   2. Minimum tread depth of 9" for open riser stairs.
   3. Maximum riser height of 8 1/4 with no variation of more than 1/8 in any one run of stairs.
   4. Stair widths of not less than 2'6" between handrails.
   5. Minimum clear headroom of 6'6" (or 6'4" for cellar stairs).
   6. Handrails if more than three risers.
   7. Handrails on both sides if stairs are open on both sides.
   8. Railings, at least 30" high, on porches and balconies if 18" or more is off adjacent floor or grade.

1. DOORS MUST BE:
   1. At least 36" wide for main entrance doors.
   2. At least 32" wide for other doors that exit the home.
   3. At least 6'8" in height.

1. ALL HABITABLE SPACE (INCLUDES LIVING ROOMS, BEDROOMS, DINING ROOMS, AND SUCH) MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE EMERGENCY EXIT WHICH:
   1. Must be in addition to the main entrance/exit from the room.
   2. Must have a total of at least 5.7 sq. ft. of area.
   3. Must have at least 20" of total clear opening in width and height.
   4. Cannot be more than 3'6" off from the finished floor, and must lead to "Legal Open Space."

1. SMOKE DETECTORS:
   1. At least one must be hardwired to a lighting circuit.
   2. Must be adjacent to any sleeping areas, on or near the ceiling.
   3. We suggest others be installed on every floor of the building.

1. CHIMNEYS:
   1. Prefabricated chimneys must be installed according to manufacturer specifications.
   2. Masonry chimneys must have:
      1. Clean-outs with noncombustible doors sealed tight.
      2. Flues mortared with non-water soluble refractory cement.
   3. Must have a 2" minimum clearance to combustible interior, and 1" minimum clearance to combustible exterior.
   4. Chimneys must terminate at least 3' above the roof and at least 2' above anything within 10' of the chimney.
   5. NFPA 211 and TEK SPEC 3, must be followed.
   6. Plans and specifications for all solid fuel burning appliances and prefab chimneys must be submitted for review and approval by the Fire Code Inspector.

1. FIRE SEPARATIONS:
   1. Garages attached to or within 5 feet of a structure must be separated from the dwelling by construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least 3/4 of an hour.
   2. Doors and jambs in the common wall must be at least three-fourths of an hour rated and equipped with a self-closing device. This door cannot open into a room used for sleeping.

1. NATURAL GAS OR L.P GAS FURNACES AND WATER HEATERS:
   1. Must be installed to manufactures specifications and/or NFPA 54, THE FUEL GAS CODE.
   2. Be sure that there is adequate combustion air for the appliances. This is necessary in enclosed rooms as well as open cellars.
   3. If the appliance is located on a floor that has habitable space, then the door to the room must be self-closing and be protected with noncombustible material on the furnace side of the door.

1. MISCELLANEOUS:
   1. Foundations must have anchor bolts, at least 6' o.c.
   2. Bathrooms without windows must have mechanical ventilation; vented to the exterior.
   3. Waste piping underground and under concrete must be cast iron.
   4. Water heater and boiler relief valves must have a pipe extension to within 12" of the floor.
   5. Firestopping must be installed as per the attached sheets.
   6. Any opening in a bearing wall that is over six (6) feet, rough opening width must have double jack studs installed to support the header.

You can pay through the Online Payment Service

The Rush Town Code can be found on the Town of Rush E-Code website. 

The Town Budget can be found in the Document Folder.
 Click here for the 2021 current budget.