Erie County
Town of Collins, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Collins run from a 0.46-acre minimum in Residential District up to 0.92 acres in Residential-Agricultural District, across 4 zoning districts in all. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. 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) 532-4887 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Collins →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential District | 0.46 ac | 40 / 10 / 50 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential-Agricultural District | 0.92 ac | 40 / 10 / 50 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Commercial District | 0.92 ac | 25 / 10 / 25 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Manufacturing District | — | 25 / 10 / 25 ft | — | No |
Residential District - Neither side yard figure is fixed: the two side yards together must total 25% of the lot width, with 10 ft the least either one may be, so on the minimum 100 ft lot the pair comes to 25 ft and on a 200 ft lot to 50 ft.
- The rear yard must equal 25% of the lot depth but need not exceed 50 ft, so the 50 ft figure is a ceiling that a lot under 200 ft deep never reaches
- Lot width is measured at the building line
- Collins publishes no lot-coverage or impervious standard in any district
Residential-Agricultural District - The per-unit floor governs any multi-unit proposal: the lot must be 40,000 sq ft and not less than 20,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, so a two-unit building fills the minimum exactly and a third unit pushes past it.
- The two side yards together must total 25% of the lot width, with 10 ft the least either one may be, so the pair comes to 25 ft on the minimum 100 ft lot and 50 ft on a 200 ft lot
- The rear yard must equal 25% of the lot depth but need not exceed 50 ft, so the 50 ft figure is a ceiling that a lot under 200 ft deep never reaches
- Farm structures have no height limit at all, against 30 ft for anything residential
Commercial District - The 10 ft side and 25 ft rear yards apply only where the lot adjoins the R or R-A district. Between two commercial lots the code sets no side or rear yard at all.
- The lot minimum is the same 40,000 sq ft, and 20,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, that the Residential-Agricultural district takes, because every use permitted there is permitted here
Manufacturing District - Height here is a ratio rather than a figure: a building may be no taller than its setback from the street line, so one set 25 ft back may be 25 ft tall and one set 60 ft back may be 60 ft.
- The 10 ft side and 25 ft rear yards apply only where the lot adjoins the R or R-A district; between two industrial lots the code sets none
- No lot area and no lot width are stated for this district
- Every use beyond those already permitted in the Residential-Agricultural and Commercial districts needs a special use permit from the Town Board
- That permit is granted only where the use sends no dust, smoke, fumes, noise, vibration or odour past the boundary and casts no glare observable from a residential district
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Collins has no local short-term rental law. That is not the same as permission, so confirm with the town before counting on renting a home short term.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The state's 2025 short-term rental registry, Ch. 99 of the Laws of 2025, requires every host to register through the Erie County registry
- Confirm with the town at (716) 532-4887 before listing
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Collins Zoning, Ch. 305
- Building dept(716) 532-4887
- Last reviewed2026-09-10
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $2,460 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Collins, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Collins?
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 · Colden · 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 Collins are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-09-10) 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) 532-4887 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.