ADU · Dutchess County

Can you build an ADU in Pleasant Valley, NY?

Town of Pleasant Valley has 15 districts. 10 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 5 do not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:

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What the Pleasant Valley code says

An accessory dwelling unit inside, attached to or detached from a legally existing single-family house is permitted without a special permit in CONS, RA, RR, LDR, MDR, HDR, HR, H-PV, H-SP and H-WH, and the owner must live in one unit. It is prohibited in MHP, MC, OI, Q and SFH.

Conditions the code attaches:

Inside or attached, at least 400 sq ft and up to 40% of the house's gross floor area or 900 sq ft, whichever is greater.
A detached unit, newly built or in an existing garage, barn or gatehouse, must be 400 to 900 sq ft.
At most two bedrooms and three residents, and the accessory unit may be rented.
The Dutchess County Department of Health must approve the septic system, and a private well needs potability certification.
One ADU per lot, and none on a lot that already has a two-family or multifamily dwelling.
Parking must be provided on the lot.

How big an ADU can be in Pleasant Valley

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.

Inside the principal dwelling

At least 400 sq ft, and no more than 40% of the principal dwelling, or 900 sq ft of gross floor area — whichever is larger

CONS, RA, RR, LDR, MDR, HDR, HR, H-PV, H-SP, H-WH · owner-occupancy required · § 98-15B(3), (5)

Detached

400 to 900 sq ft of gross floor area

CONS, RA, RR, LDR, MDR, HDR, HR, H-PV, H-SP, H-WH · owner-occupancy required · § 98-15B(3), C(2)

What the Pleasant Valley 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
Conservation	—	80 / 40 / 60 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Rural Agricultural	—	70 / 30 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Rural Residential	—	70 / 30 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Lower Density Residential	—	60 / 20 / 30 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Medium Density Residential	—	50 / 20 / 30 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Higher Density Residential	—	40 / 15 / 20 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Manufactured Home Park	—	—	35 ft	No
Mixed Use Commercial District	0.5 ac	15 / 0 / 10 ft	35 ft	No
Hamlet Residential	1 ac	15 / 15 / 15 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Hamlet — Pleasant Valley	1 ac	0 / 0 / 10 ft	40 ft	Occupancy restricted
Hamlet — Salt Point	1 ac	0 / 0 / 10 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Hamlet — Washington Hollow	1 ac	0 / 0 / 10 ft	40 ft	Occupancy restricted
Office/Industrial	1 ac	20 / 20 / 20 ft	35 ft	No
Quarry	20 ac	100 / 250 / 250 ft	30 ft	No
Special Flood Hazard	—	—	—	No

Conservation, Rural Agricultural, Rural Residential, Lower Density Residential, Medium Density Residential - The land per dwelling unit shown is an average density used to work out how many lots a project may have; it is not a minimum lot size, and individual lot sizes can vary. Lots must still meet Dutchess County Department of Health standards.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 4,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Higher Density Residential - The land per dwelling unit shown is an average density used to work out how many lots a project may have; it is not a minimum lot size, and individual lot sizes can vary. Lots must still meet Dutchess County Department of Health standards.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 4,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
Multifamily dwellings and townhouses follow a separate density that steps with water and sewer service, and always need Planning Board site plan approval.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Manufactured Home Park - Lot and yard dimensions for a manufactured home park are set by § 98-36, not by the district schedule. The 30% coverage cap is on impervious coverage.

No maximum building footprint applies.
Converting a manufactured home park to single-family or two-family residential use converts the land to the predominant adjoining district.

Mixed Use Commercial District, Quarry - The minimum lot size shown is the one for commercial uses. A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 10,000 sq ft of building footprint, with agricultural and agricultural-related structures exempt.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Hamlet Residential - Without common or municipal water and sewer the minimum lot is 1 acre (§ 98-40), a floor under the schedule's average density of 0.15 acre per lot.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 4,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
Multifamily dwellings and townhouses follow a separate density that steps with water and sewer service, and always need Planning Board site plan approval.
Density may also be adjusted through transfer or purchase of development rights (§ 98-51) and conservation subdivisions (§ 98-24).

Hamlet — Pleasant Valley - Without common or municipal water and sewer the minimum lot is 1 acre (§ 98-40), a floor under the schedule's average density of 0.15 acre per lot.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 15,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
Multifamily dwellings and townhouses follow a separate density that steps with water and sewer service, and always need Planning Board site plan approval.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Hamlet — Salt Point - Without common or municipal water and sewer the minimum lot is 1 acre (§ 98-40), a floor under the schedule's average density of 0.15 acre per lot.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 6,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
Multifamily dwellings and townhouses follow a separate density that steps with water and sewer service, and always need Planning Board site plan approval.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Hamlet — Washington Hollow - Without common or municipal water and sewer the minimum lot is 1 acre (§ 98-40), a floor under the schedule's average density of 0.15 acre per lot.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 10,000 sq ft of building footprint; agricultural and agricultural-related structures are exempt.
Multifamily dwellings and townhouses follow a separate density that steps with water and sewer service, and always need Planning Board site plan approval.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Office/Industrial - The minimum lot size shown is the one for commercial uses. A nonresidential establishment may not exceed 40,000 sq ft of building footprint, with agricultural and agricultural-related structures exempt.

The coverage cap is on impervious coverage, not on building footprint.
Minimum road frontage is 50 ft.
Where a lot line abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive setback of the two districts governs.
The front yard is measured from the property line, or from the assumed property edge where the property line is the road center line.

Special Flood Hazard - New residential structures are prohibited in the Special Flood Hazard District. Allowed uses, accessory buildings and additions must meet the most restrictive area and bulk requirements of any adjoining district, and the floodplain regulations at § 98-29.

ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Pleasant Valley

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Pleasant Valley. Short-term rentals need a Town permit under Chapter 75, Short-Term Rentals, adopted 6-2-2025, and § 75-2 limits how many permits may be issued. 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 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
Zoning codeecode360.com/7089724
Building dept(845) 635-3571

ADU FAQ — Pleasant Valley, NY

Are ADUs allowed in Pleasant Valley, NY?

Town of Pleasant Valley has 15 districts. 10 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 5 do not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 635-3571.

Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Pleasant Valley?

No district in Town of Pleasant Valley requires a special-use permit for an ADU - 10 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 5 do not. Site-plan review or a building permit may still apply.

Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Pleasant Valley?

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Pleasant Valley. 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 Pleasant Valley

Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $210k–275k 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 Pleasant Valley, priced by size.

How we know this

Sections analyzed: Ch. 98 Attachment 1 Schedule of Permitted Uses (Supp 42, Apr 2026); § 98-15 Accessory dwelling units (L.L. No. 7-2025); § 98-22 Caretaker/Guest cottages
Districts confirmed: 15 of 15 — 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 Pleasant Valley: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Dutchess County · All Dutchess County towns

ADU information for Town of Pleasant Valley 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 (845) 635-3571 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.