Columbia County
Town of New Lebanon, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of New Lebanon run from a 1-acre minimum in Rural Agricultural (1-acre) up to 5 acres in Rural Agricultural (5-acre), across 8 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Power here is NYSEG territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 794-8884 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for New Lebanon →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Agricultural (5-acre) | 5 ac | 75 / 75 / 75 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Agricultural (2-acre) | 2 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Rural Agricultural (1-acre) | 1 ac | 75 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Commercial | 0.69 ac | 75 / 20 / 25 ft | 40 ft | Special permit |
| Commercial Corridor | 0.69 ac | 50 / 15 / 25 ft | 50 ft | Special permit |
| Commercial Recreation | 0.69 ac | 20 / 25 / 25 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Commercial Industrial | 0.69 ac | 75 / 50 / 50 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Commercial Residential | 1 ac | 75 / 35 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
Rural Agricultural (5-acre) - The principal building's footprint is capped at 10,000 sq ft. The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 60 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Rural Agricultural (2-acre), Rural Agricultural (1-acre) - The principal building's footprint is capped at 4,000 sq ft. The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 60 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Commercial - A wholesale store, hotel or motel needs two acres rather than the 30,000 sq ft minimum. The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a residential district and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building.
- The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 100 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Commercial Corridor - A wholesale store, hotel or motel needs two acres rather than the 30,000 sq ft minimum. The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a residential district and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building.
- The front setback may be no more than 100 ft, and it is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 100 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Commercial Recreation - A wholesale store, hotel or motel needs two acres rather than the 30,000 sq ft minimum. The side yard becomes 50 ft where the lot adjoins a residential district and 40 ft where it adjoins an existing building.
- The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 200 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Commercial Industrial - The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 200 ft.
- The 30,000 sq ft minimum has no exception for a wholesale store or hotel here.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Commercial Residential - A residential use follows the RA-1 district's area and bulk regulations, which are the figures shown, and a commercial use follows the C district's.
- A commercial use follows the C District: 0.6887 acres of lot, the same 75 ft front setback, a 20 ft side and 25 ft rear yard, 40 ft of height and 75% coverage.
- The front setback is measured from the centre of the travelled portion of the road, not from the property line.
- Minimum road frontage is 60 ft.
- Overlay districts carry additional area and bulk requirements of their own.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. A short-term rental must have a local contact person within 20 miles, and an ADU cannot be used as a short-term rental for three years after its certificate of occupancy.
Conditions the code attaches:
- These rules are part of Local Law No. 3 of 2023, zoning amendments adopted in August 2023.
- Building department: (518) 794-8884.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Zoning codeTown of New Lebanon Zoning, Chapter 205, Schedule 1: Area and Bulk Regulations (amended May 2025)
- Building dept(518) 794-8884
- Last reviewed2026-06-02
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $6,109 on top - see the full cost to build a house in New Lebanon, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in New Lebanon?
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 · Livingston · Stockport · Stuyvesant · Taghkanic · Chatham (Village) · Kinderhook (Village) · Philmont (Village) · Valatie (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of New Lebanon 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) 794-8884 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.