Albany County
Town of Guilderland, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Guilderland run from a 0.23-acre minimum in Single-Family Residential District - 10 up to 5 acres in Rural Agricultural District - 5, across 19 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) 356-1980 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Guilderland →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 2 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Business Non-Retail Professional | 0.17 ac | 25 / 10 / 35 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Country Hamlet | — | — | — | No |
| General Business | 0.46 ac | 25 / 15 / 15 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Industrial | 0.69 ac | 45 / 25 / 25 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Local Business | 0.46 ac | 25 / 15 / 15 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Multiple Residence | — | 35 / 15 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Open Space | — | — | — | No |
| Planned Unit Development | — | — | — | — |
| Single-Family Residential District - 10 | 0.23 ac | 35 / 12.5 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Single-Family Residential District - 15 | 0.34 ac | 35 / 15 / 35 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Single-Family Residential District - 20 | 0.46 ac | 35 / 20 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Single-Family Residential District - 40 | 0.92 ac | 35 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Rural Agricultural District - 3 | 3 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Rural Agricultural District - 5 | 5 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential Overlay District - 30 | — | — | — | No |
| Residential Overlay District - 40 | — | — | — | No |
| Townhouse Dwelling | — | 35 / 10 / 35 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Transit Oriented Development | — | — | — | No |
Short-term rentals
Short-term-rental status not confirmed. Draft STR local law proposed in early 2024 but adoption delayed in Mar 2024 pending state action. Governor signed statewide registry law Dec 2024. No confirmed local adoption found as of Jun 2026.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(518) 356-1980
- Last reviewed2026-07-08
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $3,035 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Guilderland, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Guilderland?
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 · Bethlehem · Coeymans · Colonie · Knox · New Scotland · Rensselaerville · Westerlo · Altamont (Village) · Colonie (Village) · Green Island (Village) · Menands (Village) · Ravena (Village) · Voorheesville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Guilderland 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) 356-1980 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.