Canton Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 248 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 248-1
Definitions and word usage
Operative Text
A. For the purposes of this article, certain terms and words are defined as follows: DORMITORY A living accommodation owned, rented or leased by a college or university and which is customarily referred to and generally known by the title "dormitory." DWELLING A room, apartment, cottage, house, or other living accommodation, excluding a hotel, motel, dormitory, or rooming house as defined herein. FAMILY One or more persons living together in one dwelling unit and maintaining a common household and cooking as a single housekeeping unit, and whose association is of a permanent and distinct domestic character, and where the association is permanent rather than temporary in nature. GROUP Any collective body of two or more persons, not constituting a family. HOTEL A building containing one or more rooms used, rented or hired out on a transient basis to be occupied for sleeping purposes only, and not containing individual eating and cooking facilities. INSPECTOR The person designated by the village to inspect and issue certificates of occupancy pursuant to this article. MINOR A natural person not having attained his 18th birthday. MOTEL A building containing one or more rooms with individual entrances used, rented or hired out on a transient basis to be occupied for sleeping purposes only and not containing individual eating and cooking facilities. ROOMING HOUSE A building containing one or more rooms, quasi-public in nature, where roomers are generally and habitually kept, which is held out and known as a place of that kind, and in which the owner is resident. VILLAGE The Village of Canton, St. Lawrence County, New York. B. Word usage. For the purposes of this article, and except as the context may otherwise require, the singular number includes the plural and the plural the singular; and the present tense includes the past and the future tenses, and the future, the present.
Section 248-1 of Canton Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 248 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout the article governing local housing regulations. It draws clear distinctions between living arrangements such as dwellings, dormitories, rooming houses, hotels, and motels, and it defines key actors and concepts like 'family,' 'group,' 'inspector,' and 'minor.' A word-usage rule clarifies that singular and plural forms, as well as verb tenses, are interchangeable unless context requires otherwise.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Canton Village should familiarize themselves with the definitions set out in § 248-1, because how a rental property is classified—whether as a dwelling, rooming house, hotel, or dormitory—determines which regulatory requirements apply to it. For example, a rooming house under § 248-1 requires the owner to be resident on the premises, a condition that distinguishes it from other rental categories. Operators who accurately identify their property type under these definitions are better positioned to meet the corresponding obligations throughout ch. 248.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Renters in Canton Village benefit from understanding the definitions in § 248-1, because the category that applies to their living arrangement—dwelling, rooming house, or another type—shapes the protections and rules that govern their tenancy under ch. 248. The distinction between a 'family' and a 'group,' for instance, can affect occupancy rules and how a household is treated under the article. Tenants who believe their living situation has been miscategorized may wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or review the full ordinance to understand which provisions apply to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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