Ulster County
Town of Woodstock, NY: zoning for new construction
Woodstock is one of the more regulated towns to build in around the Catskills, and short-term rentals are the reason most people ask about the code first. The town caps STR use at 120 nights a year with annual registration, and residential lots start at 1.5 acres in the R1.5 district. If you're buying land here to build or to rent, the district and the STR rules below are what shape the deal - verify the current standards with the Town Building Department at (845) 679-2113.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Woodstock →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential 8-Acre (R8) | 8 ac | 25 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Residential 5-Acre (R5) | 5 ac | 25 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Residential 3-Acre (R3) | 3 ac | 25 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Residential 1.5-Acre (R1.5) | 1.5 ac | 25 / 15 / 25 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hamlet Residential (HR) | 0.6887 ac | 20 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Hamlet Commercial (HC) | 0.2296 ac | 15 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Neighborhood Commercial (NC) | 1 ac | 15 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Light Industrial (LI) | 3 ac | 100 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Floodway (FW) | — | — | — | — |
Residential 8-Acre (R8) — Min open space 85%. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted. Lots of record predating 2001 that are under the district minimum take the reduced yards in § 260-26B.
Residential 5-Acre (R5) — Min open space 80%. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted. Lots of record predating 2001 that are under the district minimum take the reduced yards in § 260-26B.
Residential 3-Acre (R3) — Min open space 70%. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted. Lots of record predating 2001 that are under the district minimum take the reduced yards in § 260-26B.
Residential 1.5-Acre (R1.5) — Min open space 70%, 60% with central water or common sewer, 50% with both. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted. Lots of record predating 2001 that are under the district minimum take the reduced yards in § 260-26B.
Hamlet Residential (HR) — Min open space 40%, 30% with central water or common sewer, 25% with both. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted.
Hamlet Commercial (HC) — Min open space 25%. One set of standards — HC does not vary with utility service. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted.
Neighborhood Commercial (NC) — Min open space 40%, 30% with central water or common sewer, 25% with both. Adequate space must be left between front and side lot lines and structures for sidewalks, curbing, street trees and open space (260 Attachment 2, note 2). FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted.
Light Industrial (LI) — No dwelling is permitted in LI (260 Attachment 1). THE BASE ROW IS THE R1.5 CASE: LI standards step with the underlying residential district, and the schedule prints three rows — in R1.5, 3 acres / 200 ft width / 100 ft front / 50 ft side / 100 ft rear / FAR 0.50; in R3, 5 acres / 350 / 125 / 125 / 125 / FAR 0.63; in R5, 8 acres / 350 / 125 / 125 / 125 / FAR 0.63. Coverage 20% in the R1.5 case and 25% in the other two, open space 60% throughout. The underlying-district axis has no term in the condition vocabulary, so the R3 and R5 rows are stated here rather than recorded as variants. FAR governs NONRESIDENTIAL floor area per square foot of site area (260 Attachment 2, note 3). On a right-of-way under 50 ft the front setback is measured from the centre line with 25 ft added (§ 260-26A). Maximum height 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories in every district where development is permitted.
Floodway (FW) — No development permitted in the Floodway District (260 Attachment 2). Every residential and commercial use is prohibited in FW under 260 Attachment 1.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with registration. Local Law No. 2 of 2022. Annual registration required ($150/yr). Limited to 120 nights per calendar year. No owner-occupancy requirement. Municipal source
Good to know
- Energy codeNew York stretch energy code adopted (January 2023).
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/8008828
- Building dept(845) 679-2113
- Last reviewedFeb 2026
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $206–$270/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $13,409 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Woodstock, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Woodstock?
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 · Wawarsing
Zoning figures for Town of Woodstock are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed Feb 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) 679-2113 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.