Greene County
Town of Athens, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Athens run from a 0.23-acre minimum in Hamlet District up to 3 acres in Rural Residential / Route 385 Corridor, across 13 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. 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) 945-1052 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Athens →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Residential District | 1.5 ac | 25 / 40 / 25 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural District | 3 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural District (Moderate Density) | 1 ac | 25 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hamlet District | 0.23 ac | 25 / 20 / 25 ft | 25 ft | As of right |
| Mixed Use Commercial District | 1 ac | 40 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Light Industrial District 1 | 2 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Light Industrial District 2 | 2 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Agriculture District | 1 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Open Space District | 1 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Residential / Route 385 Corridor | 3 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hudson Lowlands Waterfront District | 5 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Greenport Lowlands Waterfront District | 5 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Backlands Waterfront District | 5 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | — |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Town of Athens enacted Chapter 147 (Short-Term Residential Rentals) in 2017, requiring annual registration with the Town Clerk, code-compliance inspections, and a local contact for out-of-county owners; occupancy limited to 2 persons per unit plus 2 per bedroom.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Building dept(518) 945-1052
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $197–$259/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $2,651 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Athens, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Athens?
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 Greene County towns
All Greene County zoning: Cairo · Catskill · Coxsackie · Greenville · Halcott · Jewett · Lexington · New Baltimore · Athens (Village) · Catskill (Village) · Coxsackie (Village) · Hunter (Village) · Tannersville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Athens are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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) 945-1052 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.