Greene County

Town of Lexington, NY: zoning for new construction

Residential lots in the Town of Lexington run from a 0.69-acre minimum in Hamlet District up to 3 acres in Rural Residential District, across 3 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) 989-6476 before you rely on a figure.

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

Zoning districts

Short-term rentals

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. LEXINGTON'S CAP IS ON NON-RESIDENT OWNERS ONLY, AND IT IS FULL. As published on the Town's own Short Term Rental hub and checked 2026-08-27: maximum number of 'Non-Resident' permits 62; currently issued 62; AVAILABLE 0; approximately 5 applicants on the waiting list. 'There is no cap on the number of Resident Permits issued and no waiting list for residents.' An out-of-town buyer therefore cannot obtain a Lexington STR permit today at any price and joins a queue; an owner who lives in the Town can. THE LAW. The original STR law dates from 2021 and was amended by LOCAL LAW No. 4 of 2023, 'Amending the Establishment of Regulations Regarding Short Term Rentals', effective immediately on filing; both texts are published on the Town's STR hub. THE OPERATING TERMS. Every STR needs a permit from the CEO, who inspects within 30 days of a complete application. A potable-water test meeting Subpart 5-1 of the NYS Sanitary Code is required, retested every three years with an affidavit; a failed test forces quarterly testing for a year and bottled water for guests meanwhile. Occupancy is set by the CEO from the bedroom count and IS CAPPED AT FIFTEEN SLEEPING PERSONS — more than that and the property is treated as a hotel/motel. ALL PARKING MUST BE ON THE PARCEL; road parking by guests revokes the permit until remedied. An emergency number must be posted and ALL EMERGENCY CALLS ANSWERED WITHIN SIXTY MINUTES. Liability insurance is recommended, not required. The permit runs one year with renewal fee and CEO inspection; permits are per tax parcel, and each unit on a parcel needs its own. An UNHOSTED property must have a Local Property Manager living in the Town or within 30 miles. Fire safety follows the National Fire Safety Code with annual extinguisher certification; the 911 number goes at the curb in four-inch numerals; five or more bedrooms need exit placards inside every bedroom door; a prescribed guest notice plus the Winter No Parking, ATV and Fair Housing laws must be displayed. VIOLATIONS: 30 days to cure, warning, then $500, $1,000, $1,500 — and three violations in a calendar year revokes the permit. Appeals go to a Review and Appeals Board of a Town Council member, a Planning Board member, one non-STR resident and two resident STR owners. SEPARATELY, GREENE COUNTY OPERATES A FREE SHORT-TERM-RENTAL REGISTRATION through its Customer Portal, and New York State now collects sales tax on short-term rental transactions (str@greenecountyny.gov, (518) 943-3223). Re-check the live permit counts on the Town's STR hub before underwriting — they move. Contact strclerk@lexingtonny.com or (518) 989-1196. Municipal source

Good to know

• UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
• Building dept(518) 989-6476
• Last reviewed2026-08-16

Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $197–$259/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $8,307 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Lexington, or what an ADU costs here.

Other Greene County towns

All Greene County zoning: Athens · Cairo · Catskill · Coxsackie · Greenville · Halcott · Jewett · New Baltimore · Athens (Village) · Catskill (Village) · Coxsackie (Village) · Hunter (Village) · Tannersville (Village)

Zoning figures for Town of Lexington 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) 989-6476 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.