Albany County
City of Cohoes, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the City of Cohoes run from a 0.172-acre minimum in Residential - 2 up to 0.23 acres in Residential - 1, across 16 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. 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) 233-2127 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Cohoes →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office/Retail Commercial | 0.23 ac | 0 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Form-Based Code Boundary | — | — | — | — |
| Historic Overlay District | — | — | — | — |
| Industrial | 0.23 ac | 20 / 20 / 20 ft | 45 ft | — |
| Land Conservation | 1 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Residential-Multi-Family | 0.23 ac | 5 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Mixed-Use | 0.046 ac | 0 / 0 / 0 ft | 55 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Waterfront Mixed-Use | 0.115 ac | 0 / 0 / 0 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Mixed Use Civic Core | — | - / 0 / 5 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Mixed Use Downtown Core | — | - / 0 / 5 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Neighborhood Core | — | — | 36 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Mixed Use Neighborhood Core | — | — | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Mixed Use Transit Cooridor | — | — | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Planned Development District | — | — | — | — |
| Residential - 1 | 0.23 ac | 30 / 12 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential - 2 | 0.172 ac | 5 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Chapter 215, Article VI requires an annual permit ($150/yr) from Code Enforcement; STR operation restricted to Mixed-Use zoning districts only. Quarterly inspections required.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(518) 233-2127
- Last reviewed2026-07-08
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $3,515 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Cohoes, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Cohoes?
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) · Watervliet (City) · Berne · Bethlehem · Coeymans · Colonie · Guilderland · Knox · New Scotland · Rensselaerville · Westerlo · Altamont (Village) · Colonie (Village) · Green Island (Village) · Menands (Village) · Ravena (Village) · Voorheesville (Village)
Zoning figures for City of Cohoes 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) 233-2127 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.