Erie County
City of Buffalo, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the City of Buffalo run from a 0.034-acre minimum in N-2R Residential up to 0.092 acres in N-4-50 Single-Family, across 4 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Power here is National Grid territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (716) 851-4949 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Buffalo →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N-2R Residential | 0.034 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-3R Residential | 0.041 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-4-30 Single-Family | 0.055 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-4-50 Single-Family | 0.092 ac | - / 6 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
N-2R Residential - The figures shown are the detached house standards, and a building of another type carries different ones. The front yard is contextual, within plus or minus 5 ft of the established front yard line on the block, with at least 65% of the front facade on that line.
- The two side yards must total 20% of the lot width, and the 3 ft shown is a floor beneath that percentage
- The rear yard is 15% of the lot depth, and no fixed figure is published for it
- The lot width has a maximum as well as a minimum: a lot may be no more than 60 ft wide
- Impervious coverage may not exceed 80%, a second cap alongside the building coverage figure that counts drives and walks
- Height is three storeys as well as 40 ft, and the finished ground floor must sit between 0 and 4 ft above grade
- § 3.2.1.G carries height exceptions along specified sections of Delaware Avenue, Gates Circle and North Street here
N-3R Residential - The figures shown are the detached house standards, and a building of another type carries different ones. The front yard is contextual, within plus or minus 5 ft of the established front yard line on the block, with at least 65% of the front facade on that line.
- The two side yards must total 20% of the lot width, and the 3 ft shown is a floor beneath that percentage
- The rear yard is 20% of the lot depth, and no fixed figure is published for it
- The lot width has a maximum as well as a minimum: a lot may be no more than 75 ft wide
- Impervious coverage may not exceed 80%, a second cap alongside the building coverage figure that counts drives and walks
- Height is three storeys as well as 40 ft, and the finished ground floor must sit between 0 and 4 ft above grade
N-4-30 Single-Family - The figures shown are the detached house standards, and a building of another type carries different ones. The front yard is contextual, within plus or minus 5 ft of the established front yard line on the block, with at least 65% of the front facade on that line.
- The two side yards must total 20% of the lot width, and the 3 ft shown is a floor beneath that percentage
- The rear yard is 25% of the lot depth, and no fixed figure is published for it
- The lot width has a maximum as well as a minimum: a lot may be no more than 75 ft wide
- Impervious coverage may not exceed 70%, a second cap alongside the building coverage figure that counts drives and walks
- Height is three storeys as well as 40 ft, and the finished ground floor must sit between 0 and 4 ft above grade
N-4-50 Single-Family - The figures shown are the detached house standards, and a building of another type carries different ones. The front yard is contextual, within plus or minus 5 ft of the established front yard line on the block, with at least 65% of the front facade on that line.
- The two side yards must total 20% of the lot width, and the 6 ft shown is a floor beneath that percentage
- The rear yard is 25% of the lot depth, and no fixed figure is published for it
- Impervious coverage may not exceed 60%, a second cap alongside the building coverage figure that counts drives and walks
- Height is three storeys as well as 40 ft, and the finished ground floor must sit between 0 and 4 ft above grade
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Renting a home short term needs both a city short-term rental license and a certificate under Ch. 380, Short-Term Rental Housing, adopted 2-20-2024.
Conditions the code attaches:
- Separate obligations sit in Ch. 264 for rental dwelling unit registration and Ch. 269 for lodging houses
- Issuance, denial and revocation are governed by §§ 380-16 through 380-18, and the revocation procedure by § 380-21
- New York State's 2025 short-term rental registry, Ch. 99 of the Laws of 2025, requires every host to register the unit regardless of local law
- Confirm with the city at (716) 851-4949 before listing
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeCity of Buffalo Green Code, Ch. 496 Unified Development Ordinance, Art. 3 Neighborhood Zones, adopted December 2016, current through February 2025
- Building dept(716) 851-4949
- Last reviewed2026-08-06
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $2,408 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Buffalo, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Buffalo?
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 Erie County towns
All Erie County zoning: Lackawanna (City) · Tonawanda (City) · Alden · Amherst · Aurora · Boston · Brant · Cheektowaga · Clarence · Colden · Collins · Concord · Eden · Elma · Evans · Grand Island · Hamburg · Holland · Lancaster · Marilla · Newstead · North Collins · Orchard Park · Sardinia · Tonawanda · Wales · West Seneca · Akron (Village) · Alden (Village) · Angola (Village) · Blasdell (Village) · Depew (Village) · East Aurora (Village) · Farnham (Village) · Gowanda (Village) · Hamburg (Village) · Kenmore (Village) · Lancaster (Village) · North Collins (Village) · Orchard Park (Village) · Sloan (Village) · Springville (Village) · Williamsville (Village)
Zoning figures for City of Buffalo are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-06) 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 (716) 851-4949 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.