Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-166
Inspections and investigations
Operative Text
(a) Upon receipt of an application for a certificate of use, the director of code enforcement or his/her designee, the chief of fire or his/her designee, and the zoning administrator or his/her designee shall inspect the premises to determine whether the proprietor and owner are complying with the laws and ordinances which they are charged with enforcing. The chief of police or his/her designee shall also conduct a criminal background check on the applicant. The chief of police, the director of code enforcement, the chief of fire and the zoning administrator along with members of their staff shall have the right to enter upon any premises for which a certificate of use is sought for the purpose of making such an inspection during normal business hours, and shall also have the authority to seek warrants where necessary. (b) Upon receipt of an application for a certificate of use, the city of Syracuse Zoning Administrator or his/her designee shall review the location to ensure that the operation of the business at that location will be in compliance with the zoning ordinance. (c) The director of code enforcement or his/her designee shall determine that the owner and proprietor do not have an expired conditional certificate of use, is not serving a period of suspension, has not had a previous certificate of use or conditional certificate of use revoked, is not the subject of pending charges brought for violations of the terms and conditions of a certificate of use or conditional certificate of use, and that the owner and proprietor has procured all necessary licenses and permits for the business.
Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 12 § 27-166 establishes a multi-agency inspection and review process that is triggered whenever someone applies for a certificate of use. Code enforcement, fire, zoning, and police officials are each assigned specific roles — ranging from physical premises inspections and zoning compliance reviews to criminal background checks on applicants. The provision also requires code enforcement to verify that neither the owner nor the proprietor carries disqualifying history, such as a prior revocation, active suspension, or pending certificate-related charges.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and business operators seeking a certificate of use under Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 12 § 27-166 can expect coordinated inspections from multiple city departments during normal business hours. Compliant operators typically ensure their premises meet applicable building, fire, and zoning standards before applying, and they maintain a clean certificate history — meaning no expired conditional certificates, unresolved suspensions, revocations, or pending violations. Securing all required licenses and permits in advance of the application is also part of what a well-prepared applicant generally does.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants living in or near properties subject to a certificate of use, Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 12 § 27-166 means that city officials from code enforcement, fire, zoning, and police departments are authorized to inspect those premises and vet the applicant before a certificate is granted. If a tenant believes a landlord or proprietor is operating without a required certificate or with a suspended or revoked one, they may consider filing a complaint with the Syracuse Division of Code Enforcement or contacting a local tenant-rights organization for guidance. Understanding this provision can also be relevant context when raising habitability or compliance concerns through available city channels.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 1, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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