Dutchess County

Town of Wappinger, NY: zoning for new construction

20 districts Min residential lot 0.23–15 ac Central Hudson

Residential lots in the Town of Wappinger run from a 0.23-acre minimum in 1-Family Residence 10,000 Square Feet up to 15 acres in Multifamily Residence 3, across 20 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. 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 (845) 297-4158 before you rely on a figure.

Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Wappinger →

Zoning districts

District	Min lot	Setbacks F / S / R	Max height	ADU
1-Family Residence 5-Acre	5 ac	100 / 50 / 100 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 3-Acre	3 ac	75 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 80,000 Square Feet	1.84 ac	50 / 40 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 40,000/80,000 Square Feet	1.84 ac	50 / 40 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 40,000 Square Feet	0.92 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 20,000/40,000 Square Feet	0.92 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 20,000 Square Feet	0.46 ac	35 / 20 / 40 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 15,000 Square Feet	0.34 ac	35 / 15 / 30 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
1-Family Residence 10,000 Square Feet	0.23 ac	25 / 12 / 25 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Multifamily Residence 3	15 ac	50 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Multifamily Residence 5	10 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Highway Design	2 ac	50 / 10 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Neighborhood Business	—	25 / 20 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
General Business	0.34 ac	25 / 20 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Shopping Center	5 ac	100 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Highway Business	2 ac	50 / 10 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Conservation Commercial	1 ac	50 / 10 / 30 ft	35 ft	No
Conservation Office Park	5 ac	100 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Hamlet Mixed Use	—	15 / 12 / 25 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Airport Industry	2 ac	100 / 50 / 50 ft	35 ft	No

1-Family Residence 5-Acre - The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, a requirement separate from the width and depth shown. Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.

The 100 ft front yard applies on a county or state highway as on any other street.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 20 ft from a side lot line and 20 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 3-Acre - The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, a requirement separate from the width and depth shown. Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.

The 75 ft front yard applies on a county or state highway as on any other street.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 20 ft from a side lot line and 20 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 80,000 Square Feet, 1-Family Residence 40,000 Square Feet - On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure. The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.

Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 40,000/80,000 Square Feet - The figures shown are for a lot without public water and sewer, at 80,000 sq ft. With public water and sewer the lot drops to 40,000 sq ft, and with one or the other to 60,000 sq ft, and the width, depth and yards step down with it.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 20,000/40,000 Square Feet - The figures shown are for a lot without public water and sewer, at 40,000 sq ft. With public water and sewer the lot drops to 20,000 sq ft, and with one or the other to 30,000 sq ft, and the width, depth and yards step down with it.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 20,000 Square Feet - On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 35 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 35 ft figure. The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.

Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 15,000 Square Feet - On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 35 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 35 ft figure. The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.

Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 6 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

1-Family Residence 10,000 Square Feet - On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 25 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 25 ft figure. The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.

Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 6 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

Multifamily Residence 3 - The 15 acre minimum drops to 5 acres with public water and sewer, but stays at 15 acres with only one of the two. Density is capped at 3 dwelling units per net lot area.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Height is capped at 3 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

Multifamily Residence 5 - The 10 acre minimum drops to 5 acres with public water and sewer, but stays at 10 acres with only one of the two. Density is capped at 5 dwelling units per net lot area.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Height is capped at 3 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 10 ft from the rear.

Highway Design, Highway Business - Besides the 25% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 75% and at least 25% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 150 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 30 ft from the rear.

Neighborhood Business - Besides the 20% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 75% and at least 25% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 25 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 25 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 100 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 20 ft from a side lot line and 30 ft from the rear.

General Business - Besides the 25% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 75% and at least 25% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 25 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 25 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 100 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 20 ft from a side lot line and 30 ft from the rear.

Shopping Center - Besides the 20% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 75% and at least 25% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

The lot also needs at least 300 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 50 ft from a side lot line and 50 ft from the rear.

Conservation Commercial - Besides the 20% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 40% and at least 60% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

Parking has its own setbacks: 20 ft from the front lot line and 10 ft from a side or rear lot line.
On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 50 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 50 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 100 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 10 ft from a side lot line and 30 ft from the rear.

Conservation Office Park - Besides the 15% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 40% and at least 60% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

The lot also needs at least 300 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 50 ft from a side lot line and 50 ft from the rear.

Hamlet Mixed Use - There is no flat minimum lot size: each one-family dwelling unit needs 25,000 sq ft of lot area, or 10,000 sq ft where the lot is served by a central sewer consistent with the town water and sewer management plan.

Besides the 25% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 50% and at least 50% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.
On a county or state highway the front yard is 75 ft rather than 15 ft, but an existing dwelling and any addition to or expansion of one keep the 15 ft figure.
The lot also needs at least 50 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 5 ft from a side lot line and 5 ft from the rear.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.

Airport Industry - Besides the 20% building coverage, impervious surface is capped at 75% and at least 25% of the lot must stay landscaped open space.

The lot also needs at least 150 ft of street frontage, separate from the width and depth.
Where the lot abuts land in a residential district, the more restrictive side and rear yard of the two districts governs.
Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories as well as 35 ft.
An accessory building under 15 ft high and under 144 sq ft may stand 50 ft from a side lot line and 50 ft from the rear.

Short-term rentals

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Short-term rentals are regulated in the residential districts R-40, R-40/80, R-80, R-3A and R-5A, and need a building permit.

Conditions the code attaches:

Minimum quality of life, environmental and safety requirements apply.
Town of Wappinger Building Department, for current permit requirements: (845) 297-4158.

Good to know

UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
Zoning codeTown of Wappinger Zoning, Chapter 240, Attachments 3-4: Schedule of Dimensional Regulations, amended 5-14-2018
Building dept(845) 297-4158
Last reviewed2026-08-16

Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $215–$282/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $10,684 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Wappinger, or what an ADU costs here.

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