Erie County
Town of Lancaster, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Lancaster run from a 0.069-acre minimum in Multifamily Residential up to 3 acres in Agricultural-Residential, across 8 zoning districts in all. 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) 683-9028 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Lancaster →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural-Residential | 3 ac | 50 / 10 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Single-Family Residential | 0.344 ac | 35 / 10 / 35 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Multifamily Residential | 0.069 ac | 35 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Mixed Use | 1 ac | 45 / - / - ft | 35 ft | No |
| Light Commercial | 1 ac | 45 / - / - ft | 35 ft | No |
| General Commercial | 1 ac | 60 / - / - ft | 35 ft | No |
| Light Industrial | 1 ac | 30 / - / - ft | 65 ft | No |
| General Industrial | 1 ac | 40 / - / - ft | 65 ft | No |
Short-term rentals
Short-term-rental status not confirmed. A short-term rental law is IN PROGRESS but not confirmed adopted. The Town Board's 8-17-2026 agenda carries 'Local Law: Short Term Rentals' with the Town as SEQRA lead agency and a resolution to rescind an earlier one, so the terms were still moving as of that date. Separately and already in force, Local Law No. 4-2026, adopted 5-18-2026, extends the Town occupancy tax to short-term rental facilities — that is a TAX and not a land-use permission, and it neither authorises nor forbids the use. Ask the Building Department whether the local law has since been adopted. 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 Lancaster at (716) 683-9028 before listing.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(716) 683-9028
- Last reviewed2026-08-06
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $692 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Lancaster, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Lancaster?
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 Erie County towns
All Erie County zoning: Buffalo (City) · Lackawanna (City) · Tonawanda (City) · Alden · Amherst · Aurora · Boston · Brant · Cheektowaga · Clarence · Colden · Collins · Concord · Eden · Elma · Evans · Grand Island · Hamburg · Holland · Marilla · Newstead · North Collins · Orchard Park · Sardinia · Tonawanda · Wales · West Seneca · Akron (Village) · Alden (Village) · Angola (Village) · Blasdell (Village) · Depew (Village) · East Aurora (Village) · Farnham (Village) · Gowanda (Village) · Hamburg (Village) · Kenmore (Village) · Lancaster (Village) · North Collins (Village) · Orchard Park (Village) · Sloan (Village) · Springville (Village) · Williamsville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Lancaster are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-06) 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 (716) 683-9028 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.