Ulster County
Town of Rochester, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Rochester, which holds Accord and Kerhonkson, runs nine districts with residential minimums from 1 acre in Neighborhood Residential up to 5 acres in Rural Conservation, and the coverage allowance moves with the acreage, from 40% down to 15%. The short-term rental rule is the thing to read first here, because permits are required, there is a cap on new non-owner-occupied permits so a new buyer can land on a waitlist, and any non-owner-occupied rental needs a local host within 30 minutes of the property. Rochester has also adopted the state stretch energy code under Local Law No. 3 of 2023, so a new build is held to tighter efficiency standards than the base code asks for. Check permit availability and your district with the town at (845) 626-7561.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Rochester →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-3 Local Agricultural | 3 ac | 35 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| AB-3 Agricultural Business | 3 ac | 35 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| R-1 Neighborhood Residential | 1 ac | 10 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| R-2 Low Density Residential | 2 ac | 35 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| R-5 Rural Conservation | 5 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| H Hamlet | 1 ac | 10 / 10 / 15 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| I Industrial | 1.5 ac | 75 / 35 / 35 ft | 35 ft | No |
| NR Natural Resources | 1.5 ac | 35 / 35 / 35 ft | 35 ft | No |
| B Business | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| PL-10 Preserved Land | 10 ac | 75 / 75 / 75 ft | 35 ft | — |
A-3 Local Agricultural — Recorded under the key AR3, which is the district's PRE-2024 name; § 140-5 of the current code calls it A-3 Local Agricultural. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
AB-3 Agricultural Business — DENSITY BONUS: § 140-10(B)(3) makes this district eligible for 1.5x the standard lot density — 3.0 acres would become 2.0 acres per unit — but only for green-energy, energy-conservation or passive-house development, or for affordable housing where at least one unit or 25% of units are deed-restricted in perpetuity, and only on Planning Board certification. The qualifying condition is the kind of development, which is not a condition axis, so no figure is recorded for it. LOT AREA FOR MIXED USE: in AB-3, R-1, H and B, where permitted uses including a residential use share one STRUCTURE, the required lot area is the LARGER of the two; in SEPARATE structures it is the SUM of both (§ 140-10(B)(2)). See also Article V for further per-use lot area exceptions. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
R-1 Neighborhood Residential, H Hamlet, B Business — DENSITY BONUS: § 140-10(B)(3) makes this district eligible for 1.5x the standard lot density — 1.0 acre would become 0.67 acre per unit — but only for green-energy, energy-conservation or passive-house development, or for affordable housing where at least one unit or 25% of units are deed-restricted in perpetuity, and only on Planning Board certification. The qualifying condition is the kind of development, which is not a condition axis, so no figure is recorded for it. LOT AREA FOR MIXED USE: in AB-3, R-1, H and B, where permitted uses including a residential use share one STRUCTURE, the required lot area is the LARGER of the two; in SEPARATE structures it is the SUM of both (§ 140-10(B)(2)). See also Article V for further per-use lot area exceptions. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
R-2 Low Density Residential — R-2 publishes one lot area for residential and non-residential use alike, and does not change with central sewer and water. No variants, correctly. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
R-5 Rural Conservation, NR Natural Resources — Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
I Industrial — Recorded under the key IND; § 140-5 of the current code calls this district I. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
PL-10 Preserved Land — CS Community Services is the eleventh district in § 140-5 and Appendix B prints N/A for every one of its standards, so it has no record here — there is nothing to hold. Appendix B also publishes a minimum LOT FRONTAGE and a maximum number of STORIES, neither of which has a field. Performance standards under § 140-20 may apply.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with registration. STR permit required. Cap on new non-owner-occupied permits — availability limited. A local host (within 30 minutes) is required for non-owner-occupied STRs. No cap on owner-occupied permits. Contact Town of Rochester at (845) 626-7561 to confirm permit availability. Municipal source
Good to know
- Energy codeNew York stretch energy code adopted (Local Law No. 3 of 2023).
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/RO1435
- Building dept(845) 626-7561
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $206–$270/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $14,196 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Rochester, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Rochester?
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 · Marlborough · New Paltz · Olive · Plattekill · Rosendale · Saugerties · Shandaken · Shawangunk · Ulster · Wawarsing · Woodstock
Zoning figures for Town of Rochester are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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) 626-7561 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.