Erie County
Town of Colden, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Colden sets a residential minimum of about 2.87 acres in R-1 Single-Family Residential District, one of its 5 zoning districts. 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) 941-5022 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Colden →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 Single-Family Residential District | 2.87 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-2 General Residential District | 2.87 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-RB Residence-Business District | 2.87 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| AG Agricultural District | 2.87 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Commercial District | 2.87 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
Commercial District - With public utilities the lot falls to 45,000 sq ft on a 150 ft width, against about three acres on a 250 ft width without them. That is the largest utility split in the town.
- A two-family or multifamily building needs four acres without utilities plus half an acre for each unit beyond two, or 22,500 sq ft per unit with them
- Fifteen feet is the least either side yard may be, and the two together must add to 40 ft where the lot has public utilities
- A building of three or more dwelling units is capped at three storeys and must stand 30 ft from any property line instead of taking separate yards
- Any other principal building scales its side yard with storey count: 30 ft for a single storey and 45 ft for two
- The rear yard is 50 ft from a main building but only 15 ft from an accessory one
- A single house needs 960 sq ft and a duplex 1,600 sq ft in all with 800 sq ft per unit
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Colden regulates short-term rentals under Ch. 104 of its code, enacted by Local Law No. 1-2026 and adopted 6-11-2026 as a zoning amendment.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The 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 the chapter's conditions with the town at (716) 941-5022 before listing
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Colden Zoning, Ch. 108
- Building dept(716) 941-5022
- Last reviewed2026-09-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $13,635 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Colden, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Colden?
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: Buffalo (City) · Lackawanna (City) · Tonawanda (City) · Alden · Amherst · Aurora · Boston · Brant · Cheektowaga · Clarence · 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 Town of Colden are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-09-16) 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) 941-5022 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.