ADU · Columbia County
Can you build an ADU in Philmont, NY?
Village of Philmont has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Philmont code says
An accessory apartment in a one-family dwelling needs a special permit in R, RLD, H-I, H-II, M, M-II and GB, and is not permitted in H-III, RHD, C or RSC. The owner must live in one of the units, and the building must be on municipal water and sewer.
Conditions the code attaches:
- In M, M-II and GB, Table 2 marks an accessory apartment as permitted, but § 160-22 requires a special permit for every one. Confirm with the village at (518) 672-7032.
- Only one apartment, clearly subordinate to the one-family dwelling, with no more than one bedroom.
- Floor area must be greater than 400 sq ft and no more than 35% of the entire floor area of the one-family dwelling.
- Each unit needs its own proper entrance, and no exterior stairway or fire escape may be on a wall fronting a street.
- Off-street parking must be on the same parcel.
- The special permit is revoked if the apartment stops complying with these conditions.
What the Philmont 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential (2-acre) | 2 ac | 75 / 40 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential Low Density | 1 ac | 35 / 25 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet I | 0.33 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet II | 0.5 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Hamlet III | 0.25 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Residential High Density | 0.25 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| General Business | 0.09 ac | 10 / - / 15 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Manufacturing | 0.09 ac | 10 / 25 / 10 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Conservation | 2 ac | 75 / 25 / 30 ft | — | No |
| Residential-Service-Commercial | 2 ac | 35 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Manufacturing II | 0.33 ac | 25 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
Residential (2-acre), Residential Low Density, Hamlet I, Hamlet II, Hamlet III, Residential High Density, Residential-Service-Commercial, Manufacturing II - The front yard may instead be made consistent with all buildings within 200 ft on either side (§ 160-11B).
- Buildings may be no more than 2 1/2 storeys, as well as no taller than 35 ft.
General Business - GB requires no side yard. The front yard may instead be made consistent with all buildings within 200 ft on either side (§ 160-11B).
- Buildings may be no more than 2 1/2 storeys, as well as no taller than 35 ft.
Manufacturing - The front yard may instead be made consistent with all buildings within 200 ft on either side (§ 160-11B).
- Buildings may be up to 3 storeys, as well as no taller than 35 ft.
Conservation - Buildings are not permitted in C. The code marks both the maximum height and the maximum lot coverage as not permitted, even though it publishes lot and yard figures.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Philmont
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Village of Philmont. Philmont allows only hosted short-term rentals, with the host's primary residence on the premises, so an unhosted whole-house rental is not available. Each needs a Planning Board special use permit and an annual permit from the Code Enforcement Officer. 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. Municipal source
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.25–2 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codephilmont.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/philmont-locallaws.pdf
- Building dept(518) 672-7032
ADU FAQ — Philmont, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Philmont, NY?
Village of Philmont has 11 districts. 7 districts allow ADUs with a special-use permit, 4 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (518) 672-7032.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Philmont?
It depends on the district: 7 of 11 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 Philmont?
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Village of Philmont. 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.
What an ADU costs to build in Philmont
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 Philmont, priced by size.
How we know this
- Districts confirmed
- 11 of 11 — every mapped district.
- Last reviewed
- 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 Philmont: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Columbia County · All Columbia County towns
ADU information for Village of Philmont 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) 672-7032 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.