Ulster County
Town of Wawarsing, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Wawarsing run from a 2-acre minimum in RS-1 Low Density Residential Settlement up to 10 acres in AD Agriculture Development, across 13 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with registration. Power here is Orange & Rockland territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (845) 647-6570 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Wawarsing →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD Agriculture Development | 10 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| RP Ridge Protection | 7 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| VP Viewshed Protection | 5 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| RU Rural | 5 ac | 250 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| RH Ridge Hamlet | 3 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| RS-1 Low Density Residential Settlement | 2 ac | 35 / 25 / 35 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| RS-2 Low Density Residential Settlement (Legacy GIS Code) | 2 ac | 35 / 25 / 35 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| RMH Residential Manufactured Home | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| MU Mixed Use | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 25 ft | 45 ft | As of right |
| NS Neighborhood Settlement | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 35 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| BH Business Highway | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 35 ft | 45 ft | No |
| PCIM Planned Commercial, Industrial and Mixed Use | 1 ac | 50 / 0 / 25 ft | 45 ft | No |
| RED Resort and Economic Development | 1 ac | 50 / 0 / 25 ft | 45 ft | No |
AD Agriculture Development — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. AD prints N/A in columns B, C and D — it does not relax with central service. Maximum building height is 35 ft for residential and 45 ft for all other uses; stories 3 and 3.5 respectively. Subdivisions must be designed as a CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION under § 112-27 (schedule note ****). A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RP Ridge Protection — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. All four columns are identical in RP — the district does not relax with central service. Subdivisions must be designed as a conservation subdivision under § 112-27. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
VP Viewshed Protection — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. All four columns are identical in VP. Subdivisions must be designed as a conservation subdivision under § 112-27. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RU Rural — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. The column A front yard is 250 ft and falls to 50 ft in every serviced column, while the lot depth RISES from 200 ft to 250 ft. Column A publishes no lot width. § 112-69B allows one-time subdivision lot size exemptions (schedule note ***). A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RH Ridge Hamlet — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. RH prints N/A in columns B, C and D. The schedule states no minimum lot depth. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RS-1 Low Density Residential Settlement — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. Columns A, B and C are identical; only full central sewage and water changes RS-1. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RS-2 Low Density Residential Settlement (Legacy GIS Code) — RS-2 HAS NO ROW IN THE CURRENT SCHEDULE. Appendix A, as amended by L.L. No. 2-2024, publishes a block for RS-1 and none for RS-2, so the figures held here are not sourced from it and are left unchanged. They match RS-1 column A. Worth resolving against the Zoning Map before relying on them.
RMH Residential Manufactured Home — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. RMH tightens on every axis as service arrives: a quarter-acre lot at 50 ft wide with 10 ft side and rear yards in column D against an acre at 125 ft in column A. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
MU Mixed Use — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
NS Neighborhood Settlement — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. Columns A and B are identical; NS moves only when central sewage is present. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
BH Business Highway — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. Columns A and B are identical; BH moves only when central sewage is present. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
PCIM Planned Commercial, Industrial and Mixed Use — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. Only the lot area changes across the columns — PCIM's width, depth, yards, coverage and height are the same in all four. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
RED Resort and Economic Development — The schedule prints four development-standard columns for every district: A on-site sewage and water, B central water only, C central sewage only, D central sewage and water (schedule note **). The base row is column A. Only the lot area changes across the columns — RED's width, depth, yards, coverage and height are the same in all four. A special use may carry more specific bulk requirements under § 112-41; where standards conflict the STRICTER controls.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with registration. STR permit required in the Town of Wawarsing. Permit application available from the town. Must also register with Ulster County for occupancy tax. Contact Town of Wawarsing at (845) 647-6570. Municipal source
Good to know
- UtilityOrange & Rockland territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/WA0802
- Building dept(845) 647-6570
- Last reviewedApr 2026
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $206–$270/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $14,734 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Wawarsing, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Wawarsing?
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 · Rochester · Rosendale · Saugerties · Shandaken · Shawangunk · Ulster · Woodstock
Zoning figures for Town of Wawarsing 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) 647-6570 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.