ADU · Ulster County
Can you build an ADU in Shawangunk, NY?
Town of Shawangunk has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Shawangunk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-1 Ridge Stewardship District 1 | 7 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| RS-2 Ridge Stewardship District 2 | 3 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| R-Ag 1 Rural Agricultural Zone 1 | 2 ac | 35 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| R-Ag 2 Rural Agricultural Zone 2 | 2 ac | 35 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| R-Ag 3 Rural Agricultural Zone 3 | 2 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| R-Ag 4 Rural Agricultural Zone 4 | 2 ac | 75 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| H-1 Hamlet District | 3 ac | 20 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| SB Small Business District | 1 ac | 30 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| HGW Highway General Wholesale District | 1 ac | 5 / 10 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
| MB-C Mixed Business-Commercial District | 50 ac | — | — | No |
| A-I Agricultural-Industrial District | 1 ac | 50 / 25 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
RS-1 Ridge Stewardship District 1 — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. All three service rows are 7 acres — RS-1 does not relax with public water or sewer. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
RS-2 Ridge Stewardship District 2 — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. All three service rows are 3 acres — RS-2 does not relax with public water or sewer. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
R-Ag 1 Rural Agricultural Zone 1 — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
R-Ag 2 Rural Agricultural Zone 2 — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. Both serviced rows are one acre, so a single variant covers them. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
R-Ag 3 Rural Agricultural Zone 3, R-Ag 4 Rural Agricultural Zone 4 — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. All three service rows are 2 acres. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
H-1 Hamlet District — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. H-1 also has a MAXIMUM front yard of 30 ft — a build-to limit, not a setback. Schedule I note 7 sends the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions, recorded here as variants. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
SB Small Business District — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. Schedule I note 7 refers the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions; no cluster variant is recorded for this district, which is not a residential or agricultural one. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
HGW Highway General Wholesale District — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. HGW also has a MAXIMUM front yard of 25 ft — a build-to limit, not a setback. Schedule I note 7 refers the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions; no cluster variant is recorded for this district, which is not a residential or agricultural one. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
MB-C Mixed Business-Commercial District — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. MB-C PUBLISHES ONLY ONE ROW, and it is the serviced one: 50 acres WITH public water and sewer. Schedule I leaves its without-service and sewer-only cells blank, and prints no yard, width, depth or height for the district at all. Schedule I note 7 refers the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions; no cluster variant is recorded for this district, which is not a residential or agricultural one. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
A-I Agricultural-Industrial District — Schedule I prints three service rows for every district — without public water and sewer, with public sewer, and with public water and sewer. The base row is the unserviced one. All three service rows are one acre. A-I also has a MAXIMUM front yard of 25 ft, and § 177-13.B carries additional height limitations beyond the three stories and 35 ft in Schedule I. Schedule I note 7 refers the minimum lot area to § 177-36 for cluster subdivisions; no cluster variant is recorded for this district, which is not a residential or agricultural one. Lot width is measured at the setback line given by this district's front yard; on a flag lot, between the side lot lines at the front line (Schedule I note 8). The coverage figure is MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE. Within the AQ-O aquifer protection overlay it is capped at 30%, and where the two differ the MORE RESTRICTIVE applies (Schedule I note 9). The BH-O and AQ-O overlays may vary other requirements too (note 6), and § 177-84 carries grandfathering provisions.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Shawangunk
Short-term rentals allowed with registration for Town of Shawangunk. Shawangunk licenses short-term rentals under the SHORT-TERM RENTAL SAFETY AND INSPECTION LICENSE LAW, Local Law No. 3 of 2025, enacted by the Town Board in August 2025 and CODIFIED AS SECTION 140 OF THE TOWN CODE. Read in full 2026-08-27 from the filed text on the Town's site. § 3 is explicit that this is NOT a zoning amendment but 'a separate license process authorized by Town Law Article 9 and also by the general police power', so it sits alongside — and expressly does not supersede — the Zoning Law, Health Department rules and the NYS Uniform Building and Fire Codes. AN STR IS 'any lawful dwelling unit which is rented or leased for compensation for a period of less than thirty (30) consecutive days'; motels, hotels, bed-and-breakfast facilities and country inns are excluded. Merely advertising a property for a rental period of 30 days or less on Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO 'or any other form of advertising' CREATES A PRESUMPTION that the lot is being used as an STR, rebuttable only by evidence acceptable to the Code Official. THE COMMERCIALLY DECISIVE TERMS. (1) MAXIMUM OVERNIGHT OCCUPANCY IS TWELVE PERSONS OVER AGE 18, inclusive of permanent residents and conventional renters — and occupancy is further capped by what the septic system is certified to support. (2) THE LICENCE RUNS ONE YEAR FROM ISSUANCE AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO A NEW OWNER (§ 13) — a purchaser must apply afresh. (3) NO LICENCE ISSUES OR RENEWS UNTIL THE APPLICANT PROVES REGISTRATION WITH THE COUNTY OF ULSTER for the hotel/motel room occupancy tax; the law states in terms that it does not create a new registry because that function belongs to the County. (4) NO LICENCE ISSUES WITHOUT AT LEAST ONE IN-PERSON MEETING between the Code Official and the applicant, and every completed application goes through a floor-plan review. (5) THE TOWN BOARD MAY BY RESOLUTION CAP THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STR LICENCES issued in any period, in its sole discretion, 'to preserve the conventional renter's housing opportunities within the Town' — a live supply risk with no published cap today. (6) § 19: 'The STR License shall be considered a commercial use and a privilege and not a residential property right as the STR use is considered a supplementary business.' A designated contact person must respond to the Code Enforcement Officer within 24 hours, and must arrive at the premises within ONE HOUR if required. Renewal applications are due at least 60 days before expiry, with a $25-per-month late fee on top of the base fee; fees themselves are set by Town Board resolution. Fire extinguishers must be inspected before each renter occupies. PENALTIES on conviction are up to $750 for a first violation, $2,000 for a second and $5,000 for a third, with each week a separate violation; revocation bars any STR licence on that property for one year. Confirm current fees and any Board-imposed cap with the Town at (845) 895-2611. 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. Municipal source
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum2–3 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeshawangunk.gov/2009-zoning-law
- Building dept(845) 895-2611
- Last reviewedApr 2026
ADU FAQ — Shawangunk, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Shawangunk, NY?
Town of Shawangunk has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 895-2611.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Shawangunk?
It depends on the district: 7 of 11 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 Shawangunk?
Short-term rentals allowed with registration for Town of Shawangunk. 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 Shawangunk
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 Shawangunk, priced by size.
More on Shawangunk: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Ulster County towns
ADU information for Town of Shawangunk is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed Apr 2026) 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) 895-2611 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.