Columbia County
Town of New Lebanon, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of New Lebanon run from a 1-acre minimum in Rural Agricultural (1-acre) up to 5 acres in Rural Agricultural (5-acre), across 8 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) 794-8884 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for New Lebanon →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Agricultural (5-acre) | 5 ac | 75 / 75 / 75 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Agricultural (2-acre) | 2 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Agricultural (1-acre) | 1 ac | 75 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Commercial | 0.6887 ac | 75 / 20 / 25 ft | 40 ft | Special permit |
| Commercial Corridor | 0.6887 ac | 50 / 15 / 25 ft | 50 ft | Special permit |
| Commercial Recreation | 0.6887 ac | 20 / 25 / 25 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Commercial Industrial | 0.6887 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Commercial Residential | 1 ac | 75 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
Rural Agricultural (5-acre) — Maximum footprint of the principal building 10,000 sq ft — a square-foot cap, not a percentage, which is why no coverage figure is recorded. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 60 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Rural Agricultural (2-acre), Rural Agricultural (1-acre) — Maximum footprint of the principal building 4,000 sq ft — a square-foot cap, not a percentage. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 60 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Commercial — The 30,000 sq ft minimum does NOT apply to a wholesale store, hotel or motel, each of which needs two acres (note 4). The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a RESIDENTIAL ZONE and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building (note 5) — both larger than the figure above, and adjacency is not a condition axis. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 100 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Commercial Corridor — The front setback is a RANGE: 50 ft minimum and 100 ft MAXIMUM. The 30,000 sq ft minimum does NOT apply to a wholesale store, hotel or motel, each of which needs two acres (note 4). The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a RESIDENTIAL ZONE and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building (note 5) — both larger than the figure above, and adjacency is not a condition axis. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 100 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Commercial Recreation — The 30,000 sq ft minimum does NOT apply to a wholesale store, hotel or motel, each of which needs two acres (note 4). The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a RESIDENTIAL ZONE and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building (note 5) — both larger than the figure above, and adjacency is not a condition axis. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 200 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Commercial Industrial — C-I is the one commercial district whose 30,000 sq ft minimum carries no wholesale/hotel exception. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 200 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Commercial Residential — THE BASE ROW IS THE RESIDENTIAL CASE. Schedule note 2 gives C-R no figures of its own: a RESIDENTIAL use takes the RA-1 District's area and bulk regulations, which is what the base row holds, and a COMMERCIAL use takes the Commercial District's — recorded as a variant. Minimum ROAD FRONTAGE is 60 ft — Schedule 1 publishes a road frontage but NO minimum lot width, which is why that field stays empty. The front setback is measured from the CENTRE OF THE TRAVELLED PORTION OF THE ROAD (schedule note 3), not from the property line. Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own (note 1).
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Local Law No. 3 of 2023 (zoning amendments adopted Aug 2023) includes STR provisions requiring a local contact person within 20 miles and prohibiting STR use of ADUs for three years post-CO.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/5150607
- Building dept(518) 794-8884
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $6,109 on top - see the full cost to build a house in New Lebanon, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in New Lebanon?
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 · Livingston · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of New Lebanon 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) 794-8884 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.