ADU · Ulster County
Can you build an ADU in Hardenburgh, NY?
Town of Hardenburgh has 1 district. The only district prohibits ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Hardenburgh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Hardenburgh (Town-wide) | 2 ac | 20 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
Town of Hardenburgh (Town-wide) — Front 20 ft, side 30 ft, rear 50 ft; minimum lot 2 acres and 200 ft wide; maximum height 35 ft (§ 3.2). No lot coverage limit is stated. Accessory buildings may stand in the rear setback no closer than 6 ft to a property line (§ 5.2.2.3). TWO ACRES IS THE FLOOR, NOT THE ANSWER, AND FIVE ACRES IS THE DENSITY. § 3.2 itself says these minimums "may be increased by other provisions of this Law", and § 4.2.2(a) requires a lot to meet the minimum in § 4.2.3 column (c) for EVERY resource category it lies in. That table sets both a per-lot area allocation and a minimum lot size: with no resource category, 5 acres of allocation per lot and a 2-acre minimum; within 500 ft of a pond of 10 acres or more, 10 and 10; above elevation 2,500 ft, 10 and 15; on land of 15-25% slope, 10 and 15; on prime agricultural soils, 10 and 2. Designated wetland and its buffer (15), land within 250 ft of a protected stream (10), a designated flood hazard area (15) and land over 25% slope (15) carry an allocation but no minimum of their own — instead such land may make up no more than 25% (wetland) or 50% (the others) of the required minimum lot area of the adjacent category, and no principal structure may stand in a wetland resource area. Where categories overlap, only the GREATEST allocation applies (§ 4.2.1.b). This is Catskill Park mountain land, so a parcel above 2,500 ft or on a steep slope needs 15 acres where the schedule above says 2. Resource category is not a term in the condition vocabulary, so these figures are stated here rather than recorded as per-condition standards. On subdivision the Planning Board may waive a minimum lot size down to two-thirds of the requirement provided the average lot in that category still meets it (§ 4.2.2.b), and any lot of record at adoption may be split into two lots of at least 2 acres each (§ 4.2.2.c). The Town is a SINGLE district administered uniformly town-wide (§ 2.3).
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Hardenburgh
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Hardenburgh. No local short-term-rental law found as of 2026-08-26; the Town Zoning Law was read in full and contains no short-term-rental or transient-rental provision. A bed-and-breakfast inn is a listed use alongside a one- or two-family home, mobile home and home occupation. Note that 'tourist home' appears in this code ONLY in the off-street parking schedule (one space for every two beds) and not in the use table — a parking-schedule row grants no use, so it should not be read as permission. Absence of a found STR law is not permission. 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 Hardenburgh at (845) 586-2970 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
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codehardenburghny.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ZONING1.pdf
- Building dept(845) 586-2970
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
ADU FAQ — Hardenburgh, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Hardenburgh, NY?
Town of Hardenburgh has 1 district. The only district prohibits ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 586-2970.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Hardenburgh?
No. No district in Town of Hardenburgh permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (845) 586-2970 before ruling it out.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Hardenburgh?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Hardenburgh. 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 Hardenburgh
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $200k–265k 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 Hardenburgh, priced by size.
More on Hardenburgh: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Ulster County towns
ADU information for Town of Hardenburgh is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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) 586-2970 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.