Columbia County
Town of Livingston, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Livingston sets a residential minimum of about 2 acres in Hamlet Development Residential, one of its 7 zoning districts. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Power here is Central Hudson territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 851-9441 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Livingston →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country Home District | 2 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Hamlet Development Residential | 2 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Low Density Residential | 2 ac | 40 / 40 / 40 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Conservation District | 7 ac | 50 / 50 / 100 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Commercial | 1 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 30 ft | As of right |
| Agricultural/Light Industrial | 1 ac | 30 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Light Commercial | 1 ac | 40 / 20 / 20 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
Country Home District, Hamlet Development Residential, Low Density Residential, Commercial, Agricultural/Light Industrial, Light Commercial - The 700 sq ft minimum living area applies per family, and setbacks are measured from property lines.
- A two-family or multi-family residence needs 400 sq ft of living area per unit, against the 700 sq ft per family the base row states (schedule note 1).
- The Flood Area Overzone (FAO) is an overlay governed by § 4.15, not a separate district.
Conservation District - On riverfront land, CON-7 adds a 100 ft setback measured from the Hudson River shoreline, on top of the front, side and rear setbacks.
- A two-family or multi-family residence needs 400 sq ft of living area per unit, against the 700 sq ft per family the base row states (schedule note 1).
- The 700 sq ft minimum living area applies per family.
- Setbacks are measured from property lines.
- The Flood Area Overzone (FAO) is an overlay governed by § 4.15, not a separate district.
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. The Town of Livingston has no local short-term rental law, and that is not the same as permission. Confirm with the Town building department before counting on short-term rental use.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The Town has no permit or registration requirement specific to short-term rentals.
- Columbia County occupancy tax applies.
- Town building department: (518) 851-9441.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Livingston Zoning Law (2022), § 3.3 Schedule of Bulk Regulations
- Building dept(518) 851-9441
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $65,182 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Livingston, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Livingston?
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 · Chatham · Claverack · Clermont · Copake · Gallatin · Germantown · Ghent · Hillsdale · Kinderhook · New Lebanon · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Livingston are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-06-02) 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) 851-9441 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.