ADU · Erie County
Can you build an ADU in Collins, NY?
Town of Collins has 4 districts. 3 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 1 does not. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Collins code says
Collins allows quarters for servants employed on the premises as a by-right accessory use in R, R-A and C, so only household staff may live there. A two-family house, permitted by right in the same districts, is the route to a rentable second unit. M allows no dwellings.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The code sets no size for servants' quarters and does not say whether they may be a separate unit
- An R lot must be at least 20,000 sq ft
- R also allows up to three roomers, lodgers or transient guests
What the Collins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Collins
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Collins. 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. 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 minimum0.46–0.92 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/27330501
- Building dept(716) 532-4887
ADU FAQ — Collins, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Collins, NY?
Town of Collins has 4 districts. 3 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 1 does not. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (716) 532-4887.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Collins?
No district in Town of Collins requires a special-use permit for an ADU - 3 districts allow ADUs with occupancy restrictions, 1 does not. Site-plan review or a building permit may still apply.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Collins?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Collins. 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.
What an ADU costs to build in Collins
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $200k–260k 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 Collins, priced by size.
How we know this
- Districts confirmed
- 4 of 4 — every mapped district.
- Last reviewed
- 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 Collins: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Erie County · All Erie County towns
ADU information for Town of Collins is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-09-10) 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 (716) 532-4887 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.