Orange County
Town of Highlands, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Highlands run from a 0.11-acre minimum in Moderate-Density Apartment Residence up to 3.44 acres in Mobile Home Court, across 9 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 (845) 446-4280 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Highlands →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Residence | 0.92 ac | 45 / 20 / 45 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Single-Family Residence | 0.46 ac | 45 / 20 / 45 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Two-Family Residence | 0.17 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Garden Apartment Residence | 0.13 ac | 20 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Moderate-Density Apartment Residence | 0.11 ac | 20 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| High-Density Apartment Residence | 0.11 ac | 20 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Mobile Home Court | 3.44 ac | 50 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Rural Residence | 0.92 ac | 45 / 20 / 45 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Business | 0.34 ac | 30 / 20 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. STR ordinance enacted 2022; amended 2024. Permit required with $500 annual fee and inspection. Allowed in residential districts where single-family dwellings permitted.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Building dept(845) 446-4280
- Last reviewed2026-07-08
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $211–$276/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $5,462 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Highlands, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Highlands?
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 Orange County towns
All Orange County zoning: Middletown (City) · Newburgh (City) · Port Jervis (City) · Blooming Grove · Chester · Cornwall · Crawford · Deerpark · Goshen · Greenville · Hamptonburgh · Minisink · Monroe · Montgomery · Mount Hope · New Windsor · Newburgh · Palm Tree · Tuxedo · Wallkill · Warwick · Wawayanda · Chester (Village) · Cornwall-on-Hudson (Village) · Florida (Village) · Goshen (Village) · Greenwood Lake (Village) · Harriman (Village) · Highland Falls (Village) · Kiryas Joel (Village) · Maybrook (Village) · Monroe (Village) · Montgomery (Village) · Otisville (Village) · South Blooming Grove (Village) · Tuxedo Park (Village) · Walden (Village) · Warwick (Village) · Washingtonville (Village) · Woodbury (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Highlands are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-08) 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 (845) 446-4280 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.