Columbia County
Town of Chatham, NY: zoning for new construction
Chatham splits into seven districts and the land side of it is straightforward - Rural Lands One at a 10-acre minimum, Rural Lands Two at 5, Rural Lands Three at 3, and the two hamlet districts at an acre and a half. The accessory dwelling law the town passed in March 2025 is one of the most permissive in Columbia County: an ADU is allowed by right wherever housing is allowed, which is six of the seven districts, it can run to 1,200 square feet, the building permit fee is cut in half, and after ten years the unit can be subdivided off and sold as its own property. Short-term rentals outside the Village of Chatham need an annual permit from the Code Enforcement Officer under Local Law No. 6 of 2023, with one permit per property owner and a local contact within 20 miles, so an out-of-area buyer needs someone on the ground before a listing goes up. NYSEG serves the power; check your district with the town at (518) 392-1651.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Chatham →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlet One | 1.5 ac | 25 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hamlet Two | 1.5 ac | 25 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Lands One | 10 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Lands Two | 5 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Lands Three | 3 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Business | 2 ac | 25 / - / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Industrial | 2 ac | 25 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
Hamlet One, Hamlet Two, Rural Lands Three, Business, Industrial - On a town road the required setback is the front yard shown plus 25 ft.
- A lot abutting more than one street must provide the required frontage along every street (§ 180-8A).
- The 35 ft height, measured above average ground level, does not apply to farming purposes, and the Board of Appeals may grant a variance where not disruptive or hazardous (§ 180-26).
- Overhangs, cornices and bay windows may project 2 ft 6 in into a minimum yard, and roofless porches, roofless balconies and entrance steps, over a width of at most 16 ft, may project 5 ft (§ 180-8B).
- Fences up to 6 ft are excluded from side and rear yards and may project 4 ft into the front yard (§ 180-8B).
Rural Lands One, Rural Lands Two - On a town road the required setback is the front yard shown plus 25 ft.
- A lot of record at adoption whose area is a multiple of the minimum plus three or more acres may be divided so one lot only falls below it, never below 3 acres, with subdivision approval.
- A lot abutting more than one street must provide the required frontage along every street (§ 180-8A).
- The 35 ft height, measured above average ground level, does not apply to farming purposes, and the Board of Appeals may grant a variance where not disruptive or hazardous (§ 180-26).
- Overhangs, cornices and bay windows may project 2 ft 6 in into a minimum yard, and roofless porches, roofless balconies and entrance steps, over a width of at most 16 ft, may project 5 ft (§ 180-8B).
- Fences up to 6 ft are excluded from side and rear yards and may project 4 ft into the front yard (§ 180-8B).
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Short-term rentals in the Town of Chatham need an annual permit from the Code Enforcement Officer, and each property owner is limited to one permit.
Conditions the code attaches:
- A local contact person within 20 miles is required.
- The rules come from Local Law No. 6 of 2023 and apply to the town outside the Village of Chatham.
- Building department: (518) 392-1651.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Chatham Zoning, Chapter 180, §§ 180-10 through 180-16: District Lot Size, Density and Yard Dimensions
- Building dept(518) 392-1651
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $17,460 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Chatham, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Chatham?
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 Columbia County towns
All Columbia County zoning: Hudson (City) · Ancram · Austerlitz · Canaan · Claverack · Clermont · Copake · Gallatin · Germantown · Ghent · Hillsdale · Kinderhook · Livingston · New Lebanon · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Chatham 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 (518) 392-1651 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.