Erie County

Town of Grand Island, NY: zoning for new construction

15 districts Min residential lot 0.217–5 ac National Grid

Residential lots in the Town of Grand Island run from a 0.217-acre minimum in Residential Single-Family (R-1E) up to 5 acres in Residential Multiple (R-2A), across 15 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals prohibited. Power here is National Grid territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (716) 773-9600 before you rely on a figure.

Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Grand Island →

Zoning districts

District	Min lot	Setbacks F / S / R	Max height	ADU
Residential Single-Family (R-1A)	3 ac	50 / 15 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Single-Family (R-1B)	0.689 ac	50 / 12 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Single-Family (R-1C)	0.459 ac	50 / 12 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Single-Family (R-1D)	0.294 ac	35 / 10 / 40 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Single-Family (R-1E)	0.217 ac	30 / 8 / 40 ft	30 ft	No
Residential Multiple (R-2)	5 ac	30 / 8 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Multiple (R-2A)	5 ac	30 / 8 / 20 ft	35 ft	No
Residential Multiple (R-3)	3 ac	40 / 30 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Business District B1	0.459 ac	65 / 25 / 30 ft	40 ft	No
Business District B2	1 ac	65 / 20 / 20 ft	40 ft	No
Business District B3	0.459 ac	65 / 25 / 30 ft	40 ft	No
Commercial Recreation District	10 ac	50 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Industrial District M1	1.5 ac	65 / 25 / 30 ft	45 ft	No
Industrial District M2	1.5 ac	75 / 25 / 30 ft	45 ft	No
Mining and Extraction District	5 ac	100 / 100 / 100 ft	—	No

Short-term rentals

Short-term rentals prohibited. Short-term rentals are BANNED IN EVERY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. § 407-167.2, added 9-22-2015 by L.L. No. 9-2015, provides that transient or short-term rentals are not permitted in R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-1D, R-1E, R-2, R-2A or R-3 — with the sole exception of bed-and-breakfasts specifically authorized elsewhere in the chapter. A bed-and-breakfast is separately regulated under Chapter 351, Tourist Homes, Bed-And-Breakfasts and Motels (amended in its entirety 10-15-2012 by L.L. No. 3-2012). Do not underwrite STR income on a residentially zoned Grand Island parcel. New York State's 2025 short-term rental registry (Ch. 99 of the Laws of 2025) separately requires every host statewide to register the unit regardless of local law. Confirm with Town of Grand Island at (716) 773-9600 before listing.

Good to know

UtilityNational Grid territory.
Building dept(716) 773-9600
Last reviewed2026-08-06

Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $1,360 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Grand Island, or what an ADU costs here.

Sizing up a specific parcel in Grand Island?

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