Columbia County
Town of Hillsdale, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Hillsdale run from a 1-acre minimum in Hamlet up to 3 acres in Rural, across 3 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Power here is NYSEG territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 325-5073 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Hillsdale →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | 3 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Hamlet | 1 ac | 25 / 30 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Hamlet Business | 1 ac | 40 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
Rural — THE BASE ROW IS THE CONVENTIONAL COLUMN. The front setback recorded is the TOWN OR COUNTY ROAD figure; on a STATE road it is 70 ft and on a PRIVATE road 30 ft. A lot must also contain a SQUARE of minimum dimension 200 ft — a buildable-square requirement separate from lot area, width and frontage, and one with no field. The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERMEABLE SURFACE, not building coverage. Minimum road frontage is 200 ft on a town or county road, 300 ft on a state road and 100 ft on a private road. Dimensional and setback requirements are applied IN LIGHT OF the siting guidelines in Appendixes I and II, and where the two conflict the guidelines are consulted (§ 245-21). In the Hamlet District the Planning Board may permit more than one building or use on a single lot. See § 245-27 for supplementary dimensional regulations and § 245-66 for existing nonconforming lots.
Hamlet — THE BASE ROW IS THE CONVENTIONAL COLUMN. The front setback recorded is the TOWN OR COUNTY ROAD figure; on a STATE road it is 40 ft. HM is the only district with a front-yard MAXIMUM as well — 40 ft on a town or county road and 80 ft on a state road. A lot must also contain a SQUARE of minimum dimension 100 ft — a buildable-square requirement separate from lot area, width and frontage, and one with no field. The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERMEABLE SURFACE. Minimum road frontage is 100 ft on a town or county road and 200 ft on a state road. Dimensional and setback requirements are applied IN LIGHT OF the siting guidelines in Appendixes I and II, and where the two conflict the guidelines are consulted (§ 245-21). In the Hamlet District the Planning Board may permit more than one building or use on a single lot. See § 245-27 for supplementary dimensional regulations and § 245-66 for existing nonconforming lots.
Hamlet Business — HB has a single column — no conventional/cluster split. The front setback recorded is the TOWN OR COUNTY ROAD figure; on a STATE road it is 50 ft. A lot must also contain a SQUARE of minimum dimension 400 ft — a buildable-square requirement separate from lot area, width and frontage, and one with no field. Lot size and density in HB are further governed by § 245-26. The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERMEABLE SURFACE. Minimum road frontage is 100 ft on a town or county road and 400 ft on a state road. Dimensional and setback requirements are applied IN LIGHT OF the siting guidelines in Appendixes I and II, and where the two conflict the guidelines are consulted (§ 245-21). In the Hamlet District the Planning Board may permit more than one building or use on a single lot. See § 245-27 for supplementary dimensional regulations and § 245-66 for existing nonconforming lots.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Local law adopted December 10, 2019 regulates all Transient Rentals (under 30 days); requires a $50 Special Permit from the ZBA and a $150 Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Inspector.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/HI4009
- Building dept(518) 325-5073
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $12,419 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Hillsdale, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Hillsdale?
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 Columbia County towns
All Columbia County zoning: Hudson (City) · Ancram · Austerlitz · Canaan · Chatham · Claverack · Clermont · Copake · Gallatin · Germantown · Ghent · Kinderhook · Livingston · New Lebanon · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Hillsdale are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-06-02) 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) 325-5073 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.