ADU · Putnam County
Can you build an ADU in Southeast, NY?
Town of Southeast has 19 districts. 12 districts prohibit ADUs, 5 require a special-use permit, 2 allow them. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Southeast 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence (use group p: min lot width 300 ft; combined side yards 200 ft; required street frontage 250 ft; FAR 0.20). Accessory apartments and short-term rentals are both listed uses here | 3.67 ac | 100 / 100 / 100 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Residence (use group a: min lot width 200 ft; combined side yards 100 ft; required street frontage 175 ft; FAR 0.20). NOTE: short-term rental is NOT listed for R-80, though accessory apartments are (as a conditional use) | 1.84 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residence (use group b: min lot width 175 ft; combined side yards 75 ft; required street frontage 175 ft; FAR 0.20). Inherits R-80's conditional uses; short-term rental is a conditional use here | 1.38 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residence (use group c: min lot width 135 ft; combined side yards 70 ft; required street frontage 135 ft; FAR 0.20). Inherits R-80's conditional uses; short-term rental is a conditional use here | 0.92 ac | 50 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residence (use group d: min lot width 90 ft; combined side yards 50 ft; required street frontage 90 ft; FAR 0.25). Inherits R-80's conditional uses; short-term rental is a conditional use here | 0.46 ac | 35 / 20 / 35 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residence Multifamily (use group e: min lot width 90 ft; combined side yards 50 ft; required street frontage 90 ft; FAR 0.25. Multiple dwellings are permitted subject to § 138-23). Short-term rental is a conditional use here | 0.46 ac | 35 / 20 / 35 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Lake Tonetta Watershed (use group g: a low-intensity watershed-protection district — min lot area 10 acres, min lot width 400 ft, combined side yards 200 ft, and maximum lot coverage of just 3%. Single-family dwellings and accessory apartments are permitted by right; short-term rental is a conditional use) | 10 ac | 100 / 100 / 100 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Neighborhood Business (min lot 10,000 sf / 50 ft frontage / 50 ft width / 50 ft depth; a public-water-and-sewer alternative allows 20,000 sf on 90 ft. Setbacks are the parking-setback figures where the schedule leaves principal yards to site plan). Bed-and-breakfast/country inn is a principal use | 0.23 ac | 35 / 35 / 35 ft | 30 ft | No |
| Economic Development (min lot 80,000 sf / 200 ft frontage / 200 ft width / 200 ft depth; FAR 0.30). Light manufacturing and research labs are special-permit uses | 1.84 ac | 100 / 50 / 75 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Office Park (min lot 120,000 sf / 250 ft frontage / 250 ft width / 250 ft depth; FAR 0.25; 3 stories) | 2.75 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Office Park (min lot 200,000 sf / 400 ft frontage / 400 ft width / 400 ft depth; FAR 0.25; 3 stories) | 4.59 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Office Park (min lot 100,000 sf / 400 ft frontage / 400 ft width / 400 ft depth; FAR 0.25; 3 stories) | 2.3 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Gateway Commercial (min lot 10,000 sf / 50 ft frontage / 50 ft width / 50 ft depth; FAR 0.40; 2 stories) | 0.23 ac | 35 / 35 / 35 ft | 30 ft | No |
| Special Route 6 Area (min lot 30,000 sf / 25 ft frontage / 50 ft width / 50 ft depth; FAR 0.40; 2 stories) | 0.69 ac | 35 / 35 / 35 ft | 30 ft | No |
| Highway Commercial (min lot 40,000 sf / 150 ft frontage / 150 ft width / 150 ft depth; FAR 0.30; 2 stories) | 0.92 ac | 50 / 35 / 35 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Special Route 22 Area (min lot 80,000 sf / 250 ft frontage / 250 ft width / 250 ft depth; FAR 0.25; 3 stories) | 1.84 ac | 50 / 25 / 25 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Rural Commercial 2 (min lot 80,000 sf / 250 ft frontage / 250 ft width / 250 ft depth; FAR 0.25; 3 stories). Single-family residential is a permitted use and accessory apartment appears as a use | 1.84 ac | 50 / 25 / 25 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Rural Commercial (min lot 200,000 sf / 400 ft frontage / 400 ft width / 400 ft depth; FAR 0.15; maximum lot coverage 15% building / 45% total; 3 stories). Single-family residential is a permitted use here | 4.59 ac | 100 / 100 / 100 ft | 35 ft | No |
| General Commercial 2 (min lot 40,000 sf / 100 ft frontage / 100 ft width / 50 ft depth; FAR 0.40; 2 stories). Bed-and-breakfast/country inn is a principal use and accessory apartment appears as a conditional use | 0.92 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 30 ft | No |
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Southeast
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Southeast. Short-term rental is a defined and regulated use in the Town of Southeast. In the Table of General Use Requirements for the residential districts, 'short-term rental' is a CONDITIONAL use requiring Planning Board approval in R-160, R-60, R-40, R-20, RMF and LTW; it is notably NOT listed for R-80. Bed-and-breakfast and country inn are separate, distinct uses (e.g. bed-and-breakfast is by right in R-160 and appears across several commercial districts). Because STR requires case-by-case Planning Board approval rather than being either by-right or prohibited, it is recorded as regulated. 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. 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 minimum0.46–10 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Building dept(845) 279-2123
- Last reviewed2026-07-23
ADU FAQ — Southeast, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Southeast, NY?
Town of Southeast has 19 districts. 12 districts prohibit ADUs, 5 require a special-use permit, 2 allow them. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 279-2123.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Southeast?
It depends on the district: 5 of 19 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 Southeast?
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Southeast. 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 Southeast
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 Southeast, priced by size.
More on Southeast: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Putnam County towns
ADU information for Town of Southeast is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-23) 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) 279-2123 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.