Putnam County
Village of Nelsonville, NY: zoning for new construction
The Village of Nelsonville carries 7 zoning districts, each setting its own lot size, setbacks and height for what you can build. 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) 265-2500 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Nelsonville →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village Residential (min lot 9,000 sf; 75 ft minimum lot frontage on a street; a 75 ft square must fit on the lot; 20 ft setback from a street line — the same whether the street is a state highway or any other street; side and rear yards are stated as property-line setbacks unique to VR: 8 ft on ONE side property line and 12 ft from any other property line; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 20% maximum ground coverage by buildings and structures. Minimum floor area 720 sf per dwelling and 500 sf per dwelling unit. A dwelling of one or two units is permitted as of right; a three-unit dwelling requires site plan approval) | 0.21 ac | 20 / 8 / 12 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Village Secondary Residential (min lot 20,000 sf; 95 ft minimum lot frontage; a 95 ft square must fit on the lot; 20 ft from the street line of any street other than a state highway, rising to 30 ft from the street line of a STATE HIGHWAY; 12 ft from any property line for side and rear; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 20% maximum ground coverage. Minimum floor area 720 sf per dwelling and 500 sf per dwelling unit) | 0.46 ac | 20 / 12 / 12 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Hillside Residential (min lot 60,000 sf; 135 ft minimum lot frontage; a 150 ft square must fit on the lot; 60 ft from the street line whether a state highway or any other street; 25 ft from any property line for side and rear; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 15% maximum ground coverage. Minimum floor area 720 sf per dwelling and 500 sf per dwelling unit. Steeply sloped land counts toward the minimum lot area only in part — see § 188-29A) | 1.38 ac | 60 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Mountain Residential (min lot 80,000 sf; 175 ft minimum lot frontage; a 200 ft square must fit on the lot; 60 ft from the street line whether a state highway or any other street; 25 ft from any property line for side and rear; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 10% maximum ground coverage — the most restrictive coverage in the Village. Minimum floor area 720 sf per dwelling and 500 sf per dwelling unit. Steeply sloped land counts toward the minimum lot area only in part — see § 188-29A) | 1.84 ac | 60 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Multifamily Residential (min lot 40,000 sf; 135 ft minimum lot frontage; a 150 ft square must fit on the lot; 70 ft from the street line whether a state highway or any other street; 70 ft from any property line for side and rear — the deepest yards in the Village; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 15% maximum ground coverage. Minimum floor area 720 sf per dwelling and 500 sf per dwelling unit. The only district permitting dwellings of up to six units, and then only by site plan approval) | 0.92 ac | 70 / 70 / 70 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Village Business (min lot 9,000 sf; 75 ft minimum lot frontage; a 75 ft square must fit on the lot; 20 ft from the street line whether a state highway or any other street; 12 ft from any property line for side and rear; PLUS a 20 ft setback from any residence district boundary line; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 25% maximum ground coverage. Dwellings of one or two units are permitted as of right alongside business uses, so VB is a genuinely mixed-use district) | 0.21 ac | 20 / 12 / 12 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Commercial (min lot 30,000 sf; 100 ft minimum lot frontage; a 100 ft square must fit on the lot; 20 ft from the street line of any street other than a state highway, rising to 40 ft from the street line of a STATE HIGHWAY; 20 ft from any property line for side and rear; PLUS a 40 ft setback from any residence district boundary line; 2 1/2 stories / 35 ft; 25% maximum ground coverage. This is the only district where a dwelling of one or two units is NOT a permitted use — only a watchman's or proprietor's dwelling is allowed) | 0.69 ac | 20 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. The Village of Nelsonville adopted a short-term-rental law on 01-18-2022, effective 01-01-2023, and it is a genuine permit regime — NOT a zoning-chapter use. Every STR must obtain a permit and pass inspection before operating. Only residential units qualify (one-family, two-family, three-family and accessory apartments); commercial structures, vehicles and temporary buildings are excluded. Two permit classes: CLASS A is capped at 7% of the Village's residential housing stock — 15 of roughly 215 taxable properties — and CLASS B is uncapped in number but limited to two one-week rentals a year, a maximum of 14 days. All permits are capped at 100 rental days per year. Owner-occupancy is strict: the owner must reside in Nelsonville 185 days a year, occupy the unit as their primary residence, and must have lived in the home for one year before applying. Additional requirements include $500,000 minimum general liability insurance, an emergency contact within a 30-minute drive, and annual inspections. Because Class A permits are capped at 15 village-wide, availability — not eligibility — is often the binding constraint; check remaining capacity with the Village Hall at (845) 265-2500 before underwriting STR income. Separately, since 2025 New York State requires every short-term-rental host to register the unit with the State through the county registry, regardless of what the municipality allows.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Building dept(845) 265-2500
- Last reviewed2026-07-27
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $222–$291/sq ft - see the full cost to build a house in Nelsonville, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Nelsonville?
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 Putnam County towns
All Putnam County zoning: Carmel · Kent · Patterson · Philipstown · Putnam Valley · Southeast · Brewster (Village) · Cold Spring (Village)
Zoning figures for Village of Nelsonville are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-27) 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) 265-2500 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.