ADU · Columbia County
Can you build an ADU in Philmont, NY?
Village of Philmont has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Philmont 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential (2-acre) | 2 ac | 75 / 40 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential Low Density | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet I | 0.33 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet II | 0.5 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet III | 0.25 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Residential High Density | 0.25 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| General Business | 0.09 ac | 10 / - / 15 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Manufacturing | 0.09 ac | 10 / 25 / 10 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Conservation | 2 ac | 75 / 25 / 30 ft | — | No |
| Residential-Service-Commercial | 2 ac | 35 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Manufacturing II | 0.33 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
Residential (2-acre), Residential Low Density, Hamlet I, Hamlet II, Hamlet III, Residential High Density, Residential-Service-Commercial, Manufacturing II — The front yard carries the schedule's asterisk: it may instead be made CONSISTENT WITH ALL BUILDINGS WITHIN 200 FT on either side (§ 160-11B) — a contextual alternative to the figure above, with no field. Maximum 2 1/2 storeys unless stated otherwise.
General Business — GB requires NO SIDE YARD AT ALL — Table 3 prints a dash. The front yard carries the schedule's asterisk: it may instead be made CONSISTENT WITH ALL BUILDINGS WITHIN 200 FT on either side (§ 160-11B) — a contextual alternative to the figure above, with no field. Maximum 2 1/2 storeys unless stated otherwise.
Manufacturing — Maximum 3 storeys in M, the only district above 2 1/2. The front yard carries the schedule's asterisk: it may instead be made CONSISTENT WITH ALL BUILDINGS WITHIN 200 FT on either side (§ 160-11B) — a contextual alternative to the figure above, with no field. Maximum 2 1/2 storeys unless stated otherwise.
Conservation — BUILDINGS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN C. Table 3 prints "NP" for both the maximum height and the maximum lot coverage in the Conservation district, which is why neither is recorded — the district publishes a lot size, a width, a depth and yards, and then does not allow a building on them. Maximum 2 1/2 storeys unless stated otherwise.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Philmont
Short-term rentals restricted for Village of Philmont. PHILMONT NOW ALLOWS ONLY HOSTED SHORT-TERM RENTALS — AN INVESTOR WHOLE-HOUSE LET IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN THE VILLAGE. LOCAL LAW No. 1 of 2026, the 'Short-Term Rental Local Law', adds § 160-22.5 to the Village Code and amends the Use Table (160 Attachment 1). Read in full 2026-08-27 from the text published on the Village's Local Laws page (text dated 2026-02-18); the Village lists it as its 2026 Local Law 1, and it carries a repealer of any inconsistent prior local law. THE CONTROLLING SENTENCE IS § 160-22.5 C(1): 'Only Hosted Short-Term Rentals are permitted in the Village of Philmont.' A Hosted Short-Term Rental is 'the short-term rental of one or more bedrooms within a dwelling unit WHILE THE HOST MAINTAINS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE ON THE PREMISES.' Anyone underwriting a Philmont house on unhosted nightly income should stop there. WHERE IT IS ALLOWED: the amended Use Table makes Short-Term Rental a SPECIAL PERMIT (SP) use in R, RLD, H-I, H-II, H-III, RHD, M, M-II and GB, and PROHIBITED (X) in C. TWO APPROVALS ARE NEEDED, NOT ONE: a special use permit from the Village Planning Board, and then an annual Short-Term Rental permit from the Code Enforcement Officer, each with its own fee. No permit issues until the property has been inspected; existing operators had 30 days from the effective date to apply and 60 days to complete the inspection. THE OPERATING LIMITS. Maximum occupancy is EIGHT guests excluding infants under three, with a maximum of FOUR rented bedrooms, at least 70 sq ft of habitable floor area for one guest and 100 sq ft for two, and no more than two guests to a room. PERMITS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE AND 'SHALL IMMEDIATELY EXPIRE UPON ANY CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP OF THE PREMISES.' ONE STR UNIT PER PARCEL, and — separately — ONE STR UNIT PER PROPERTY OWNER IN THE VILLAGE, 'to allow equitable distribution.' Minimum general liability cover is $1,000,000, and the certificate must rate the premises as a short-term rental. All parking must be on the parcel, with the number of spaces set at the Planning Board's discretion; no guest parking on roads. A Short-Term Rental Local Contact must live within 20 miles, be available 24 hours a day and respond within one hour. Hosts must register with Columbia County for lodging tax and submit the County registration number with the permit application. Permits run one year. TWO PERMIT VIOLATIONS AND THE PERMIT IS PERMANENTLY REVOKED. The Village's separate residential rental registration (all rentals and vacant buildings register with the Building Inspector, application form updated March 2026) continues to apply on top of this. Confirm with the Building Department at (518) 672-7032. 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. Municipal source
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.25–2 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codephilmont.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/philmont-locallaws.pdf
- Building dept(518) 672-7032
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
ADU FAQ — Philmont, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Philmont, NY?
Village of Philmont has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (518) 672-7032.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Philmont?
It depends on the district: 7 of 11 require a special-use permit, the rest do not. Check the district that applies to your parcel before you design.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Philmont?
Short-term rentals restricted for Village of Philmont. 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 Philmont
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 Philmont, priced by size.
More on Philmont: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Columbia County towns
ADU information for Village of Philmont is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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) 672-7032 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.