ADU · Putnam County
Can you build an ADU in Patterson, NY?
Town of Patterson has 9 districts. 5 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Patterson code indicates by district
The table below shows how each district treats ADUs, alongside the lot and setback standards that govern a second unit. District boundaries and conditions vary, so treat this as a starting point and confirm the district that applies to your parcel.
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam Lake Residence (min lot 19,500 sf; 75 ft minimum road frontage; 15 ft front, 15 ft side, 20 ft rear; 38% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage — Patterson sets no building-coverage percentage; 38 ft height; minimum livable first-floor area 750 sf for dwelling purposes. The Town's densest residential district, covering the Putnam Lake community. Accessory structures of 120 sf or less and under 10 ft high need 5 ft side and rear setbacks; larger or taller accessory structures need 10 ft) | 0.45 ac | 15 / 15 / 20 ft | 38 ft | Special permit |
| Residence 1 — one-acre (min lot 43,560 sf / 1 acre; 100 ft minimum road frontage; 150 ft average lot width; 35 ft front, 30 ft side, 50 ft rear; 12% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage — no building-coverage percentage is set; 38 ft height; minimum livable first-floor area 1,000 sf. Accessory structures: 35 ft front, 15 ft side, 25 ft rear) | 1 ac | 35 / 30 / 50 ft | 38 ft | Special permit |
| Residence 2 — two-acre (min lot 87,120 sf / 2 acres; 175 ft minimum road frontage; 200 ft average lot width; 40 ft front, 40 ft side, 50 ft rear; 10% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 38 ft height; minimum livable first-floor area 1,000 sf. Accessory structures: 40 ft front, 20 ft side, 25 ft rear) | 2 ac | 40 / 40 / 50 ft | 38 ft | Special permit |
| Residence 4 — four-acre (min lot 174,240 sf / 4 acres; 225 ft minimum road frontage; 250 ft average lot width; 40 ft front, 40 ft side, 80 ft rear; 10% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 38 ft height; minimum livable first-floor area 1,000 sf. The Town's lowest-density district. Accessory structures: 40 ft front, 20 ft side, 25 ft rear) | 4 ac | 40 / 40 / 80 ft | 38 ft | Special permit |
| General Business (min lot 30,000 sf; 100 ft minimum road frontage; 15 ft front, 15 ft side, 25 ft rear; 65% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 38 ft height; minimum floor area 900 sf. § 154 permits a building in the GB district to contain one or more apartments subject to conditions — that is a permitted apartment use, not an accessory apartment. Accessory structures: 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 10 ft rear) | 0.69 ac | 15 / 15 / 25 ft | 38 ft | No |
| Commercial 1 (min lot 87,120 sf / 2 acres; 200 ft minimum road frontage; 65 ft front, 30 ft side, 50 ft rear; 65% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 35 ft height; minimum floor area 1,500 sf. Accessory structures: 40 ft front, 20 ft side, 30 ft rear) | 2 ac | 65 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Industrial (min lot 87,120 sf / 2 acres; 200 ft minimum road frontage; 65 ft front, 30 ft side, 50 ft rear; 65% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 35 ft height; minimum floor area 1,500 sf. Accessory structures: 40 ft front, 20 ft side, 30 ft rear) | 2 ac | 65 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Commercial Recreation (min lot 200 ACRES — by far the largest minimum in the county; 200 ft minimum road frontage; 65 ft front, 30 ft side, 50 ft rear; 25% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 35 ft height. A destination-scale district for golf courses, country clubs, conference and cultural centers. Accessory structures: 40 ft front, 20 ft side, 30 ft rear) | 200 ac | 65 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Open Space Overlay District (minimum lot size is set by § 138-49.A of the Subdivision chapter rather than by a fixed figure in the Zoning Schedule, so no numeric minimum is recorded; 125 ft minimum road frontage; 150 ft average lot width; 35 ft front, 30 ft side, 40 ft rear; 20% maximum IMPERVIOUS surface coverage; 35 ft height; minimum livable first-floor area 1,000 sf. Lots in this overlay must ALSO comply with Chapter 138, Part 2, which imposes additional restrictions on top of the underlying residence district's requirements — the overlay is additive, never a relaxation) | — | 35 / 30 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Patterson
Short-term rentals allowed with registration for Town of Patterson. A rental permit is required, and it is NOT in the zoning chapter. Chapter 129, the Rental Registration Law (L.L. No. 9-2007, effective 1-30-2008), requires a permit for every rental dwelling unit under § 129-4, with application, fee, review, term and renewal at §§ 129-5 through 129-8 and a public register at § 129-9. There is no minimum-stay exclusion: § 129-6C sets a distinct fee tier for hotel/motel businesses catering to transient clientele and defines a 'short duration of time' as not more than 21 consecutive days, which prices short stays rather than exempting them. § 129-10 conditions the permit on a working smoke detector, on-site parking, a minimum 100 square feet for a one-room unit, and independent kitchen facilities in each unit, and § 129-11 authorises inspections on consent. Zoning Chapter 154 separately permits a BED-AND-BREAKFAST INN under § 154-102 — owner-occupied, with 'transient' defined at § 154-115 as not more than 14 consecutive days or 28 days a year. 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 Patterson at (845) 878-6500 before listing. These are separate questions from whether you can build an ADU — a unit you're allowed to add isn't automatically one you're allowed to rent nightly, so check both.
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.45–4 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Building dept(845) 878-6500
- Last reviewed2026-07-27
ADU FAQ — Patterson, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Patterson, NY?
Town of Patterson has 9 districts. 5 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 878-6500.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Patterson?
It depends on the district: 5 of 9 require a special-use permit, the rest do not. Check the district that applies to your parcel before you design.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Patterson?
Short-term rentals allowed with registration for Town of Patterson. ADU occupancy and short-term-rental rules are separate: an ADU you can build isn't automatically one you can rent nightly. Confirm both before you count on STR income.
What an ADU costs to build in Patterson
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $215k–285k at a standard finish, and the per-square-foot rate comes in above a full house because the kitchen, bath, panel and heating plant cost the same either way. See the full cost to build an ADU in Patterson, priced by size.
More on Patterson: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Putnam County towns
ADU information for Town of Patterson is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-27) and provided for decision-support only — not legal or architectural advice. ADU eligibility, size, owner-occupancy and permit conditions vary by district and often carry exceptions; verify with the building department at (845) 878-6500 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.