ADU · Columbia County

Can you build an ADU in Claverack, NY?

Town of Claverack has 9 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 2 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:

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What the Claverack code says

An accessory apartment needs a special exception in every district but MHP and CIP, and the owner must live in one of the two units. Separately, a one-family detached house can be converted to a two-family by right in RC, RR, RA and HR and by special exception in HB and HB-1.

Conditions the code attaches:

An accessory apartment may be in the house or an accessory building, up to 50% of the principal building's floor area and 40% of its footprint, with at most two bedrooms.
The owner must live in one of the two units and may rent the other to a family member or a long-term tenant, not a short-term guest.
The accessory apartment must connect to the principal dwelling's water and sewer and cannot be sold separately.
The conversion to a two-family carries no size or occupancy condition, but it makes two full dwellings rather than an accessory unit.
Density of one unit per 5 acres in RC and RA and one per 2 acres in RR may mean a two-family needs twice the land; confirm with the town.
In RC, RR and RA a detached caretaker or owner dwelling of up to 1,600 sq ft is also possible by special exception on a lot with the density for two dwellings. Building department: (518) 672-4471.

How big an ADU can be in Claverack

Size limits are set per district, and a unit inside the house is a different standard from a detached one. These are the figures the code publishes.

Accessory dwelling unit

50% of the principal dwelling

RC, RR, RA, HR, HC, HB, HB-1 · owner-occupancy required · § 15.3.1C, F

What the Claverack 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
Rural Conservation	5 ac	80 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Rural Residential	2 ac	50 / 20 / 40 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Rural Agricultural	5 ac	50 / 20 / 40 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Hamlet Residential	1 ac	30 / 10 / 30 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Mobile Home Park	12 ac	300 / 15 / 50 ft	20 ft	No
Highway Commercial	1 ac	70 / 20 / 50 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Hamlet Business	0.5 ac	30 / 10 / 30 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Hamlet Business 1	1 ac	30 / 20 / 50 ft	35 ft	Special permit
Commercial Industrial Park	1 ac	40 / 25 / 20 ft	35 ft	No

Rural Conservation - The 5 acres shown is a density of one dwelling per five acres, not a lot minimum. A lot may be as small as Columbia County water and waste treatment standards allow, if the parcel as a whole stays within that density (§ 6.3.1).

The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.
On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 80 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 200 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
Building footprint is set at 3,500 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building, 5,000 sq ft for a multifamily structure of 3 or more units and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

Rural Residential - The 2 acres shown is a density of one dwelling per two acres, not a lot minimum. A lot may be as small as Columbia County water and waste treatment standards allow, if the parcel as a whole stays within that density (§ 6.3.1).

The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.
On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 25 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 150 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
Building footprint is set at 3,500 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

Rural Agricultural - The 5 acres shown is a density of one dwelling per five acres, not a lot minimum. A lot may be as small as Columbia County water and waste treatment standards allow, if the parcel as a whole stays within that density (§ 6.3.1).

The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.
On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 25 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 150 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
Building footprint is set at 3,500 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

Hamlet Residential - With public sewage or water, the minimum lot size drops to 0.5 acre.

On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 20 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 80 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.
Building footprint is set at 5,000 sq ft for a multifamily structure of 3 or more units and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

Mobile Home Park - Minimum lot frontage is 300 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width shown.

On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 25 ft.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.
Building footprint is set at 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

Highway Commercial - Building footprint is set at 20,000 sq ft for retail and 45,000 sq ft for non-retail, 2,500 sq ft for a multifamily structure of 3 or more units, and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 70 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 100 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.

Hamlet Business - On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 20 ft, and minimum lot frontage is 80 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.

Building footprint is set at 6,000 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building, 5,000 sq ft for a multifamily structure of 3 or more units and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.

Hamlet Business 1 - On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 40 ft, and minimum lot frontage is 100 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.

Building footprint is set at 6,000 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building, 5,000 sq ft for a multifamily structure of 3 or more units and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.

Commercial Industrial Park - Building footprint is set at 100,000 sq ft for a commercial or manufacturing building and 10,000 sq ft for an institutional structure.

On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the side street is 40 ft.
Minimum lot frontage is 150 ft, a separate requirement from the lot width.
The density is the parcel's total development potential: once it is used up through subdivision, no further subdivision is allowed (§ 6.3.2).
A residential subdivision, special exception or site plan may earn up to 30% more dwelling units than the table allows (§ 6.4).
That bonus is earned by preserving 50% or more of a parcel as agricultural land, by moderately-priced housing or by traditional neighbourhood design.

ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Claverack

No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Claverack. The Town of Claverack has no local short-term rental law, and that is not the same as permission. Confirm with the building department before counting on short-term rental income. 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.

Good to know

Residential lot minimum1–12 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
Zoning codewww.claverackny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/455/Town-of-Claverack-Zoning-Law-Local-Law-3-of-2015-PDF
Building dept(518) 672-4471

ADU FAQ — Claverack, NY

Are ADUs allowed in Claverack, NY?

Town of Claverack has 9 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 2 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (518) 672-4471.

Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Claverack?

It depends on the district: 7 of 9 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 Claverack?

No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Claverack. 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.

Run the free ADU check for your parcel →

What an ADU costs to build in Claverack

Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $195k–260k 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 Claverack, priced by size.

How we know this

Sections analyzed: L.L. No. 3 of 2015 Table 1 Schedule of Use Regulations, rows A.6, A.10 and A.11; § 5.1.1; Table 2 and § 6.3.1; § 15.3.1; § 15.3.7; § 2.2 and § 2.62 definitions
Districts confirmed: 9 of 9 — every mapped district.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-16
Not covered here: Overlay districts, the zoning map, and any conditions attached to an individual parcel. Size limits and owner-occupancy terms sit in the code section above, not in this summary.

More on Claverack: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Columbia County · All Columbia County towns

ADU information for Town of Claverack is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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 (518) 672-4471 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.