East Hampton, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 199 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 199-1-1

All terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings set forth below regardless of any inconsistent provisions elsewhere in the Town Code. Any terms not specifically defined herein shall have the same meaning as set forth in Chapter 255 (Zoning) or, if not so defined therein, shall be defined by common usage. CHIEF BUILDING INSPECTOR The person holding the position of Chief Building Inspector for the Town of East Hampton or her designee. DWELLING UNIT A building or part of a building where the unit consists of one or more rooms with provisions for cooking, living, sanitary and sleeping facilities designed exclusively for residential use and arranged or intended to be occupied by one individual household or family living independently of other individual households or families. FAMILY A. The following shall constitute a family hereunder: (1) Any number of persons occupying a dwelling unit, provided that all are related by blood, marriage or legal adoption and provided that they live and cook together as a single housekeeping unit; or (2) Any number of persons not exceeding four occupying a dwelling unit and living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit, where not all are related by blood, marriage or legal adoption. B. A group of persons whose association or relationship is transient or seasonal in nature, rather than of a permanent and domestic character, shall not be considered a family. C. A group of unrelated persons numbering more than four and occupying a dwelling unit shall be presumed not to constitute a family. This presumption can be overcome only by a showing that, under the standards enumerated in § 255-8-50 of the Town Code, the group constitutes the functional equivalent of a family. A determination as to the status of such group may be made in the first instance by the Building Inspector or, on appeal from an order, requirement, decision or determination made by him, by the Zoning Board of Appeals. D. Persons occupying group quarters, such as a dormitory, fraternity or sorority house or a seminary, shall not be considered a family. IMMEDIATE FAMILY The owner's spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents or grandchildren. OWNER Any person, individual, association, entity or corporation whose name is listed as grantee on the last deed of record for the property, as recorded with the Suffolk County Clerk. PERSON Includes any individual, business, partnership, firm, corporation, enterprise, trustee, company, industry, association, public entity or other legal entity. PRINCIPAL BUILDING INSPECTOR The person holding the position of Principal Building Inspector for the Town of East Hampton or her designee. PUBLISH Promulgation of an available rental property to the general public or to selected segments of the general public, in a newspaper, magazine, flyer, handbill, mailed circular, bulletin board, sign, website, or electronic media. RENT A return, in money, property or other valuable consideration (including payout in kind or services or other thing of value), for the use and occupancy or the right to the use and occupancy of a rental property or seasonal rental property, whether or not a legal relationship of landlord and tenant exists between the owner and the occupant or occupants thereof. RENTAL PROPERTY A dwelling unit which is occupied for habitation as a residence by persons, other than the owner or the owner's immediate family, and for which rent is received by the owner, directly or indirectly, in exchange for such residential occupation. The term "rental property" shall include single-family houses, two-family houses, and apartments (other than those regulated under § 255-11-63 , "Accessory dwelling units") but shall not include: A. Legally existing hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts providing short-term transient accommodations; B. Any housing owned or managed by the East Hampton Town Housing Authority or any affordable or senior multifamily dwelling unit developments owned and/or managed by a not-for-profit organization; C. Condominiums or residential cooperatives. SEASONAL RENTAL PROPERTY A rental property leased or rented as a seasonal use dwelling unit in accordance with § 7-108, Subdivisions 4 and 5, of the New York State General Obligations Law . TENANT An individual who leases, uses or occupies a rental property or seasonal rental property.