Columbia County
Town of Livingston, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Livingston sets a residential minimum of about 2 acres in Hamlet Development Residential, one of its 7 zoning districts. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Power here is Central Hudson territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 851-9441 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Livingston →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country Home District | 2 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hamlet Development Residential | 2 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Low Density Residential | 2 ac | 40 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Conservation District | 7 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Commercial | 1 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 30 ft | As of right |
| Agricultural/Light Industrial | 1 ac | 30 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Light Commercial | 1 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
Country Home District, Hamlet Development Residential, Low Density Residential, Commercial, Agricultural/Light Industrial, Light Commercial — Minimum lot width 150 ft and minimum living area 700 sq ft PER FAMILY — both published for every district and neither previously recorded. Setbacks are measured from property lines (schedule note 2). The Flood Area Overzone (FAO) is an OVERLAY under § 4.15, not a district — the schedule prints dashes for it and refers the reader there.
Conservation District — Minimum lot width 150 ft and minimum living area 700 sq ft PER FAMILY — both published for every district and neither previously recorded. CON-7 carries an ADDITIONAL 100 ft setback measured from the HUDSON RIVER SHORELINE (schedule note 3), on top of the yards above. It has no field and applies only to riverfront land. Setbacks are measured from property lines (schedule note 2). The Flood Area Overzone (FAO) is an OVERLAY under § 4.15, not a district — the schedule prints dashes for it and refers the reader there.
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. No local STR ordinance found as of Jun 2026. Columbia County occupancy tax applies. Town has no STR-specific permit or registration requirement.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codetownoflivingston.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Zoning_Book_2022.pdf
- Building dept(518) 851-9441
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $65,182 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Livingston, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Livingston?
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 · Hillsdale · Kinderhook · New Lebanon · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Livingston 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) 851-9441 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.