Albany County
Town of Bethlehem, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Bethlehem run from a 0.115-acre minimum in HAMLET up to 5 acres in RIVERFRONT RURAL, across 17 zoning districts in all. Power here is National Grid territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 439-4955 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Bethlehem →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENERAL COMMERCIAL | 1 ac | 100 / 40 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| COMMERCIAL HAMLET | 0.23 ac | 30 / 10 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| CORE RESIDENTIAL | 0.167 ac | 25 / 8 / 25 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| DELAWARE AVE HAMLET OVERLAY | — | — | — | — |
| HAMLET | 0.115 ac | 10 / 5 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| HEAVY INDUSTRIAL | 5 ac | 100 / 25 / 50 ft | 60 ft | No |
| MIXED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | — | — | — | No |
| MULTI-FAMILY | 0.195 ac | 35 / 16 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT | — | — | — | — |
| RURAL | — | 40 / 15 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RESIDENTIAL A | 0.333 ac | 35 / 10 / 25 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RESIDENTIAL B | 0.195 ac | 25 / 8 / 25 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RESIDENTIAL C | 0.195 ac | 30 / 8 / 25 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RURAL HAMLET | 0.172 ac | 30 / 10 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RURAL LIGHT INDUSTRIAL | 1 ac | 50 / 25 / 50 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RESIDENTIAL LARGE LOT | 2 ac | 50 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| RIVERFRONT RURAL | 5 ac | 40 / 15 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
Short-term rentals
Short-term-rental status not confirmed. BethlehemForward zoning update includes STR provisions but had not been formally adopted as of Jun 2026; Town Board adoption was projected for Spring 2026. Status pending final vote.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(518) 439-4955
- Last reviewed2026-07-08
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $1,960 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Bethlehem, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Bethlehem?
Aldo pulls the exact zoning district, setbacks, and build feasibility for any parcel — before you buy. Enter your email to open Aldo and run your free report.
Other Albany County towns
All Albany County zoning: Albany (City) · Cohoes (City) · Watervliet (City) · Berne · Coeymans · Colonie · Guilderland · Knox · New Scotland · Rensselaerville · Westerlo · Altamont (Village) · Colonie (Village) · Green Island (Village) · Menands (Village) · Ravena (Village) · Voorheesville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Bethlehem are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-08) and provided for decision-support only - not legal, engineering, or architectural advice. Setback and dimensional standards often carry conditions and exceptions; verify with the building department at (518) 439-4955 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.