Putnam County
Town of Putnam Valley, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Putnam Valley run from a 1-acre minimum in Medium Density Residence up to 10 acres in Preservation District, across 10 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals restricted. Power here is NYSEG territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (845) 526-2377 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Putnam Valley →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preservation District (min lot area is 10 acres of NET area and no minimum building area or road frontage is stated; minimum open area 98% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 2% of the gross site. Single-family dwellings are NOT a permitted use here. Maximum building length 50 ft. Rear yard on a lakefront lot is 120 ft) | 10 ac | 120 / 50 / 120 ft | 25 ft | No |
| Conservation District (5 acres NET, plus a 30,000 sf minimum BUILDING area and 300 ft of road frontage; minimum open area 90% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 10% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 100 ft) | 5 ac | 100 / 40 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Low Density Residence (3 acres NET, plus a 30,000 sf minimum BUILDING area and 200 ft of road frontage; minimum open area 85% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 15% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft) | 3 ac | 50 / 40 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Moderate Density Residence (2 acres NET, plus a 30,000 sf minimum BUILDING area and 200 ft of road frontage; minimum open area 75% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 25% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft) | 2 ac | 50 / 40 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Medium Density Residence (1 acre NET, plus a 20,000 sf minimum BUILDING area and 150 ft of road frontage; minimum open area 60% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 40% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft. Maximum building length 100 ft) | 1 ac | 50 / 30 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Lake Peekskill (2 acres NET, plus a 30,000 sf minimum BUILDING area, but only 75 ft of road frontage; minimum open area 75% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 25% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft. Maximum building length 100 ft) | 2 ac | 50 / 20 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Neighborhood Commercial (10,000 sf NET lot area, 80 ft of road frontage; no minimum building area and no minimum open area are set. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft) | 0.23 ac | 25 / 20 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Community Commercial One (8,000 sf NET lot area — the smallest minimum in town — on 80 ft of road frontage; no minimum building area and no minimum open area are set. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft) | 0.18 ac | 25 / 20 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Community Commercial Two (10,000 sf NET lot area, 80 ft of road frontage; no minimum building area and no minimum open area are set. Rear yard on a lakefront lot rises to 75 ft) | 0.23 ac | 25 / 20 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Planned Commercial Park (5 acres NET on 100 ft of road frontage, with the deepest front yard in town at 200 ft; minimum open area 70% — i.e. buildings, structures, paving and every other impervious surface together may cover no more than 30% of the gross site. Rear yard on a lakefront lot is 100 ft) | 5 ac | 200 / 100 / 100 ft | 35 ft | No |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals restricted. Short-term transient rentals require a SPECIAL PERMIT: § 165-36.1 sits in Article X, Special Permit Uses, of the Zoning Code, added 11-15-2023 by L.L. No. 3-2023 and amended 4-16-2025 by L.L. No. 1-2025. The Town's stated intent is to impose mandatory requirements on every owner renting on a short-term transient basis, proportional to those on bed-and-breakfasts, inns, motels and hotels. Discretionary approval means an STR is not available as of right anywhere in the Town. 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 Putnam Valley at (845) 526-2377 before listing.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Building dept(845) 526-2377
- Last reviewed2026-07-22
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $222–$291/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $33,265 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Putnam Valley, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Putnam Valley?
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 · Southeast · Brewster (Village) · Cold Spring (Village) · Nelsonville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Putnam Valley are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-22) 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) 526-2377 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.