ADU · Columbia County
Can you build an ADU in Hudson, NY?
City of Hudson has 12 districts. All districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Hudson code indicates by district
The table below shows how each district treats ADUs, alongside the lot and setback standards that govern a second unit. District boundaries and conditions vary, so treat this as a starting point and confirm the district that applies to your parcel.
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-Family Residential | 0.11 ac | 20 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| One- or Two-Family Residential | 0.09 ac | 15 / 7.5 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Multiple Dwelling Residential | 0.18 ac | 10 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Multiple Dwelling (High-Density) | 0.14 ac | 10 / 10 / 30 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Institutional-Residential Conservation | 0.23 ac | 20 / 15 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Riverfront Gateway | 0.14 ac | 10 / 10 / 30 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Core Riverfront | 0.14 ac | 10 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Recreational Conservation | 0.28 ac | 20 / 15 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| City Core Commercial | — | — | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Commerce District | 0.11 ac | - / - / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| General Commercial | 0.23 ac | - / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Industrial | — | - / 10 / 10 ft | 45 ft | Occupancy restricted |
One-Family Residential — R-1 publishes a total lot area and no per-dwelling-unit figure — one family, one lot. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
One- or Two-Family Residential — R-2 appears in only one column of the schedule, the one- or two-family one, so it has no per-use variants. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Multiple Dwelling Residential — THE BASE ROW IS "R-3 Multiple Dwellings". R-3 appears in FOUR columns of the two schedules: one- or two-family, attached dwellings, multiple dwellings, and — in the commercial schedule — new office structures or structures combining office and residential use, at 10,000 sq ft on a 100 ft lot with a 10 ft front, 15 ft side and 30 ft rear yard at 30% coverage. Usable open space 400 sq ft per dwelling unit; maximum building length 160 ft. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Multiple Dwelling (High-Density) — THE BASE ROW IS "R-4 Multiple Dwellings". R-4 also appears in the one- or two-family and attached-dwelling columns, both recorded as variants. Its side yard is note 3: ten feet OR HALF THE BUILDING HEIGHT, whichever is greater — the 10 ft recorded is the floor. Usable open space 300 sq ft per dwelling unit; maximum building length 160 ft. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Institutional-Residential Conservation — I-R-C publishes a total lot area and no per-dwelling-unit figure. Usable open space 500 sq ft per dwelling unit. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Riverfront Gateway — The side yard is note 3: ten feet OR HALF THE BUILDING HEIGHT, whichever is greater — the 10 ft recorded is the floor. Usable open space 300 sq ft per dwelling unit; maximum building length 160 ft. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Core Riverfront — C-R has the smallest land-per-dwelling-unit figure in the city, 1,000 sq ft, and the only 20 ft rear yard among the residential districts. Usable open space 400 sq ft per dwelling unit. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Recreational Conservation — R-C publishes a total lot area and no per-dwelling-unit figure. Usable open space 500 sq ft per dwelling unit. The Planning Board may approve a front yard that conforms with the PREVAILING BUILDING SETBACK for the street the property is on (residential note 4), instead of the figure above. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
City Core Commercial — C-C publishes NO minimum lot area, lot depth, front yard or rear yard — the commercial schedule prints a dash for each. Its side yard is "none required, but a ten-foot minimum if provided" (note 2), and WITHIN 25 FT OF A RESIDENCE DISTRICT BOUNDARY the side yard becomes 10 ft and the rear yard 30 ft. Four storeys and 45 ft is the tallest in the city. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Commerce District — Commerce publishes no front yard. Its side yard is "none required, but a ten-foot minimum if provided" (note 2), and WITHIN 25 FT OF A RESIDENCE DISTRICT BOUNDARY the side yard becomes 10 ft and the rear yard 30 ft. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
General Commercial — WITHIN 25 FT OF A RESIDENCE DISTRICT BOUNDARY the side yard becomes 15 ft and the rear yard 30 ft. Area devoted to manufacturing is capped at 10,000 sq ft (note 3). Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
Industrial — I-1 publishes NO minimum lot area, lot width, lot depth or front yard. Its 45 ft is a CAP, not the limit: note 4 allows two feet of building height for each one foot of distance from any property line, up to 45 ft — so the permitted height depends on setback. WITHIN 25 FT OF A RESIDENCE DISTRICT BOUNDARY the side and rear yards both become 40 ft, four times the 10 ft otherwise required. Density and the number of lots a parcel may be subdivided into are calculated under § 325-18C on NET parcel size. Article V carries alternative dimensions for conservation development and incentive zoning.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Hudson
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for City of Hudson. Local Law No. 7 of 2020 (Chapter 275-40.2: STR Registry). Owner-occupancy required (primary residence, minimum 50 days/year); nonhosted rentals limited to 60 days/year. Total licenses capped at 25 city-wide (max 15 per planning district). Moratorium on new licenses adopted Jun 2024; updated ordinance (183-day owner-occupancy threshold, 300-ft separation) passed Sep 2025. These are separate questions from whether you can build an ADU — a unit you're allowed to add isn't automatically one you're allowed to rent nightly, so check both.
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.09–0.18 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/5082256
- Building dept(518) 828-3133
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
ADU FAQ — Hudson, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Hudson, NY?
City of Hudson has 12 districts. All districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (518) 828-3133.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Hudson?
No district in City of Hudson requires a special-use permit for an ADU - 12 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions. Site-plan review or a building permit may still apply.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Hudson?
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for City of Hudson. ADU occupancy and short-term-rental rules are separate: an ADU you can build isn't automatically one you can rent nightly. Confirm both before you count on STR income.
What an ADU costs to build in Hudson
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $195k–260k at a standard finish, and the per-square-foot rate comes in above a full house because the kitchen, bath, panel and heating plant cost the same either way. See the full cost to build an ADU in Hudson, priced by size.
More on Hudson: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Columbia County towns
ADU information for City of Hudson is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-06-02) and provided for decision-support only — not legal or architectural advice. ADU eligibility, size, owner-occupancy and permit conditions vary by district and often carry exceptions; verify with the building department at (518) 828-3133 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.