ph. 585.526.6317

fax 585.526.4799

Mailing Address
PO Box 224
Gorham, NY 14461

Physical Address
4736 South St.
Gorham, NY 14461

Office Hours
Tues, Thu., Fri. 9 am to 1 pm
Wed. 9 am to 7 pm

Building/Zoning Hours
Mon - Thu 7 am to 3 pm
Fri 8 am to 1 pm

Contact Form / Directory

Town Government / Departments

Building & Zoning

Contact Information


James Morse
(585) 526-6317 Ext. 4

Mon - Thu 7 am to 3 pm
Fri 8 am to 1 pm


This office provides many services to the residents of the Town of Gorham, such as:

  • Review and approval of required building permits and all procedures related to the permit
  • Process variance requests
  • Land splits, sub-divisions and lot combining as required by Town Planning Board
  • Answer questions regarding land use in the Zoning Districts of The Town
  • Site Plan Review for all new construction in the Town
  • Address complaints and violations to the Towns Zoning Ordinances and Local Laws
  • Address complaints and violations to the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code
  • Enforce "Canandaigua Lake Uniform Docking and Mooring Law"
  • Information regarding construction projects and to help residents plan their projects to meet the requirements of their respective zoning district and the Town requirements.

These are just a few of Zoning Office's duties, any question can be asked of this office and if it can be answered it will be and if not you will be directed to who can answer it.

All of the above items that this office handles as well as many others, sometimes can be handled with questions and then many times there are the necessary forms that need to be completed and then sometimes either a Zoning Board or Planning Board meeting that the applicant must attend regarding their proposed project.

All necessary forms for any project can be acquired at the Zoning office or by request on our site.

The Town of Gorham has 11 Zoning districts, each with different regulations, requirements and building set-back requirements.

The Zoning Office also handles many complaints and violations to the Town Zoning Ordinances. Here are a few of the most common complaints related to the Town Ordinances as well as the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Codes:

  • No more than one unregistered motor vehicle may be kept on properties
  • Exterior property area must maintained and kept clean of junk, rubbish and debris
  • Immediate exterior property must be maintained of weeds or plant growth, to prevent rodent harborage and to prevent possible fire during dry seasons
  • Vacant structures must be maintained as well as unsafe structures must be repaired and made safe or removed
  • As mentioned above, all construction projects require a building permit, so call the Zoning Office before you start your project that includes Fences

Also it is very important that your residence be correctly numbered for identification for emergency purposes such as fire and Ontario County 911 Emergency Services. Number size is a minimum of, 4 inches high by a minimum of one-half an inch wide. Please number your home or buildings.

More information will be added to our site in a timely manor and by request from our residents.