Can you build an ADU in Cohoes, NY?

Office/Retail Commercial - The front setback is a range of 0 to 10 ft rather than the single figure shown. Schedule B publishes no residential row for this district: office, retail, cultural, indoor recreation and mixed-use structures all share these figures.

• Consult Schedule B, the schedule of area and bulk regulations at 285 Attachment 2, directly for any other use.

Form-Based Code Boundary - Chapter 285 names four form-based districts, and this is not one of them. No dimensional standard is published for it.

• It appears to mark the outer boundary the Regulating Plan Map (§ 285-167) draws around those four districts, rather than a district regulated on its own.
• The four form-based districts are named and defined at § 285-166 through § 285-171.

Floodplain District (FD) - In the FEMA-mapped flood hazard area this district controls how a structure is built rather than where it sits: elevation, floodproofing, anchoring and utility placement. It carries no lot size, setback, coverage or height standard of its own.

• The flood hazard construction standards are set out at § 285-45.

Historic Overlay District (HD) - This overlay adds design and appearance review of designated historic sites and districts. It carries no lot size, setback, coverage or height standard of its own and layers on top of whatever base district underlies the parcel.

• The review requirement is set out at § 285-44.

Industrial - The figures shown are the general industrial row, shared by a contractor's yard, light industry, a machine shop, manufacturing and a warehouse. Schedule B varies standards use by use, so another use here can carry different figures.

• A single-family dwelling is reachable only by special use permit, on 70 ft of width with a 30 ft front yard and 12 ft side yards.
• Consult Schedule B, the schedule of area and bulk regulations at 285 Attachment 2, directly for any use outside that group.

Land Conservation - The figures shown are the base row for a farm, greenhouse, hydroponics or municipal utility. A natural preserve or a commercial stable needs 10 acres against this 1 acre, with the same setbacks, and takes a special use permit.

• At least 80% of the lot must be left as green space, a floor that sits alongside the building coverage cap shown.
• Consult Schedule B, the schedule of area and bulk regulations at 285 Attachment 2, directly for any other use.

Residential-Multi-Family - These figures are the multifamily case. A single-family house needs less land here, not more: 0.115 acre on a 50 ft wide lot, with 5 ft side yards and up to 60% coverage.

• A two-family needs 0.138 acre on 60 ft of width, with 5 ft side yards and up to 70% coverage.
• An attached or row house needs 0.172 acre on 50 ft of width, with 5 ft side yards and up to 80% coverage.
• The front setback is a range, 5 to 15 ft.
• Many other uses carry their own rows in the area and bulk schedule, so standards for anything other than a home are worth checking there.

Mixed-Use - The 0 ft front, side and rear setbacks, the 100% coverage and the 55 ft height are the commercial and office case. A two-family drops out of that form: 0.172 acre, 50 ft of width, 10 ft side and 20 ft rear yards, and 35 ft of height.

• The front setback is a range, 0 to 5 ft.
• A single-family house needs 0.115 acre on 25 ft of width.
• An attached or row house, or a multifamily building, needs 0.057 acre on 25 ft of width.
• Many other uses carry their own rows in the area and bulk schedule, so standards for anything other than a home are worth checking there.

Waterfront Mixed-Use - The 0 ft front, side and rear setbacks, the 100% coverage and the 45 ft height are the retail, office and restaurant case. A single-family house takes its own standards: 0.184 acre, 80 ft of width and 10 ft front, side and rear yards.

• The front setback is a range, 0 to 10 ft.
• A multifamily building needs 0.23 acre on 90 ft of width.
• Many other uses carry their own rows in the area and bulk schedule, so standards for anything other than a home are worth checking there.

Mixed Use Civic Core - Front and side-street placement works as a build-to zone, 0 ft minimum and 5 ft maximum, so a building has to sit close to the street rather than merely behind a line. Height carries a 22 ft minimum as well as the 45 ft cap.

• The interior side property line takes a 0 ft minimum with no maximum.
• The 45 ft height cap is 4 stories.
• The ground floor must be in office or retail use.
• The district standards are set out at § 285-168.

Mixed Use Downtown Core - Front and side-street placement works as a build-to zone, 0 ft minimum and 5 ft maximum, so a building has to sit close to the street rather than merely behind a line. Height carries a 35 ft minimum as well as the 45 ft cap.

• The interior side property line takes a 0 ft minimum.
• The 45 ft height cap is 4 stories.
• The district standards are set out at § 285-169.

Mixed-Use Neighborhood Corridor (MU-NC) - Front and interior side placement works as a build-to zone, 0 ft minimum and 20 ft maximum, and the side-street build-to zone runs from 0 to 10 ft. Height carries a 15 ft minimum as well as the 36 ft cap.

• The 36 ft height cap is 3 stories.
• The district standards are set out at § 285-171.

Mixed-Use Transit Corridor (MU-TC) - Front, side-street and interior side placement all work as a build-to zone, 0 ft minimum and 10 ft maximum, so a building has to sit close to the line rather than merely behind it. Height carries a 15 ft minimum as well as the 35 ft cap.

• The 35 ft height cap is 3 stories.
• The district standards are set out at § 285-170.

Planned Unit Development District (PDD) - The Common Council approves a planned unit development case by case against a comprehensive development plan, largely independent of the land use regulations otherwise applicable to the property. The approved plan for the tract is the only source of dimensions.

• The district is set out at § 285-43.

Residential - 1 - At least 50% of the lot must be left as green space, a separate floor from the building coverage cap shown. Congregate housing takes the same figures as a single-family house.

• The 35 ft height cap applies to by-right uses; a public use is capped at 10 ft.
• Consult Schedule B, the schedule of area and bulk regulations at 285 Attachment 2, directly for any other use.

Residential - 2 - The front setback is published as a range of 5 to 10 ft, and at least 50% of the lot must be left as green space on top of the building coverage cap.

• Single-family, two-family and attached or row houses all take the same 7,500 sq ft lot and 50 ft width.
• Consult Schedule B, the schedule of area and bulk regulations at 285 Attachment 2, directly for any other use.