Ulster County
Town of Marlborough, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Marlborough run from a 0.4591-acre minimum in R Residential up to 1 acres in R-Ag-1 Rural Agricultural, across 7 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with registration. 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) 236-7600 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Marlborough →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Residential | 0.4591 ac | 10 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-1 Residential | 1 ac | 35 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-Ag-1 Rural Agricultural | 1 ac | 50 / 35 / 75 ft | 35 ft | No |
| C-1 Hamlet Commercial | 0.3444 ac | 5 / 0 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
| C-2 Highway Commercial | 0.4591 ac | 35 / 35 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| HD Harbor Development | 2 ac | 75 / 25 / 75 ft | 45 ft | No |
| I Industrial | 5 ac | 75 / 25 / 75 ft | 35 ft | No |
R Residential — A FOURTH ROW EXISTS AND IS NOT RECORDABLE: with public water, public sewer AND natural gas the R minimum drops again to 7,500 sq ft. Natural gas service has no term in the condition vocabulary — water and sewer are the only utility axes — so inventing one would make the figure match nothing. It is stated here instead. Combined side yards 25 ft.
R-1 Residential — Minimum lot size is subject to the percolation tests required by § 155-42, but in no event less than one acre (schedule note 1). Combined side yards 70 ft. Where the lot adjoins active agricultural land, § 155-52 imposes a 75 ft setback from the property line that SUPERSEDES the figures above (schedule note 3). Applies in R-Ag-1, R-1 and HD.
R-Ag-1 Rural Agricultural — Minimum lot size is subject to the percolation tests required by § 155-42, but in no event less than one acre (schedule note 1). Combined side yards 80 ft — more than twice the 35 ft single yard. Where the lot adjoins active agricultural land, § 155-52 imposes a 75 ft setback from the property line that SUPERSEDES the figures above (schedule note 3). Applies in R-Ag-1, R-1 and HD.
C-1 Hamlet Commercial — No side yard is required in C-1, and none is required when provided. Combined side yards 0 ft.
C-2 Highway Commercial — C-2 publishes a figure only in the "Without public water or sewer" row — 20,000 sq ft — and no reduced figure for either utility case. Combined side yards 70 ft.
HD Harbor Development — Four stories and 45 ft, but where the two measures disagree the LESSER applies (schedule note 2). A building over 35 ft requires a SEQRA visual impact analysis because HD lies within the Coastal Boundary Zone. Combined side yards 50 ft. Where the lot adjoins active agricultural land, § 155-52 imposes a 75 ft setback from the property line that SUPERSEDES the figures above (schedule note 3). Applies in R-Ag-1, R-1 and HD.
I Industrial — Combined side yards 50 ft.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with registration. STR permit required in the Town of Marlborough. Contact Building Dept at (845) 236-7600 to confirm current permit requirements, fees, and any operating restrictions. Municipal source
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/MA0587
- Building dept(845) 236-7600
- Last reviewedApr 2026
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $206–$270/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $14,232 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Marlborough, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Marlborough?
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 Ulster County towns
All Ulster County zoning: Kingston (City) · Denning · Esopus · Gardiner · Hardenburgh · Hurley · Lloyd · Marbletown · New Paltz · Olive · Plattekill · Rochester · Rosendale · Saugerties · Shandaken · Shawangunk · Ulster · Wawarsing · Woodstock
Zoning figures for Town of Marlborough are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed Apr 2026) 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) 236-7600 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.