ADU · Erie County
Can you build an ADU in Alden, NY?
Village of Alden has 8 districts. 4 districts prohibit ADUs, 4 allow them with occupancy restrictions. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Alden code says
The only accessory living space allowed is quarters for servants employed on the premises, by right in R-O, R-1, R-2 and R-C. Occupancy is tied to employment on the property, so it carries no open-market rent.
Conditions the code attaches:
- R-2 and R-C also allow a two-family house by right and up to four roomers, boarders or tourists incidental to the family's use, with more than four, or a dwelling group, on Board of Trustees approval
- A building may not be altered to house more families than its district permits
- In B-1 a dwelling unit is permitted only above the ground floor of a business building
- C-1 excludes one- and two-family dwellings, so servants' quarters there could only attach to a multifamily building
- C-2 and I-1 permit only nonresidential uses
- The Planning Board may find an unlisted use similar to a listed one, which permanently adds it to that district's by-right uses
What the Alden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-O Residential/Open Space District | 0.46 ac | 30 / 10 / 50 ft | 40 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| R-1 Single-Family Residential District | 0.34 ac | 30 / 6 / 50 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| R-2 Two-Family Residential District | 0.34 ac | 30 / 6 / 50 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential Commercial District | 0.34 ac | 30 / 6 / 50 ft | 30 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Business District | 0.46 ac | 5 / 5 / 10 ft | 70 ft | No |
| Commercial District | 0.46 ac | 30 / 10 / 10 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Commercial/Light Industrial District | 0.46 ac | 30 / 10 / 50 ft | 50 ft | No |
| Industrial District | — | 30 / 10 / 10 ft | 50 ft | No |
Residential Commercial District - The side yard shown is the one-storey case and it widens with the building: at least 6 ft each side for a one- or one-and-a-half-storey dwelling, 8 ft for a two-storey, and 10 ft for any other main building.
- Multifamily is priced by bedroom mix: the first four units cost 5,000 sq ft each and the rest 2,500, rising to 6,000 and 3,000 where more than a tenth of the units have three or more bedrooms
- The lot may never be under 20,000 sq ft for a multifamily dwelling
- The front yard is measured from the edge of the right-of-way rather than the property line, so on a street with a wide right-of-way the buildable area starts further back
- The rear yard is 25% of the lot depth and need not exceed 50 ft, so the figure shown is a cap that binds only on a lot deeper than 200 ft
- A multifamily dwelling needs 600 sq ft per family plus a further 100 sq ft for each roomer, boarder or tourist
- Condominiums, cooperatives, mobile home parks and patio homes need a special permit of the Board of Trustees
Business District - The front yard is a band, at least 5 ft and at most 15 ft from the edge of the right-of-way, and the district also sets a minimum building height of 20 ft for every part of the facade facing a public street.
- The side yard rises to 30 ft, or the height of the principal building if that is greater, where it abuts a lot in a residential district
- A side yard used for vehicular ingress or egress is 15 ft, and 30 ft where used for both
- The rear yard rises from 10 ft to 30 ft against a residential district
- A corner lot needs 30,000 sq ft and 150 ft of width
- A dwelling unit is permitted only as an accessory use and never on the ground floor
- The front yard is measured from the edge of the right-of-way rather than the property line, so on a street with a wide right-of-way the buildable area starts further back
Commercial District - Where the building is a dwelling, the R-C figures apply instead of the ones shown, including its two-tier pricing for multifamily. One- and two-family dwellings and mobile home parks are excluded here.
- The side yard rises to 30 ft, or the height of the principal building if that is greater, where it abuts a lot in a residential district
- A side yard used for vehicular ingress or egress is 15 ft, and 30 ft where used for both
- The rear yard rises from 10 ft to 30 ft against a residential district
- A corner lot needs 30,000 sq ft and 150 ft of width
- The front yard is measured from the edge of the right-of-way rather than the property line, so on a street with a wide right-of-way the buildable area starts further back
Commercial/Light Industrial District - The side yard shown is the one-storey case: at least 10 ft for a one-storey building, 20 ft for a two-storey and 15 ft for any other main building, and 50 ft whatever the storey count where it abuts a residential district.
- The rear yard is 25% of the lot depth and need not exceed 50 ft, so the figure shown is a cap that binds only on a lot deeper than 200 ft
- Against a residential district the rear yard is a flat 50 ft
- A lot needs at least 20,000 sq ft on a 100 by 200 ft envelope, or at least 30,000 sq ft on 150 by 200 for a corner lot
- Manufacturing and industrial uses must be contained wholly inside buildings
- The front yard is measured from the edge of the right-of-way rather than the property line, so on a street with a wide right-of-way the buildable area starts further back
Industrial District - The front yard rises from 30 ft to 50 ft where it is used for off-street parking or where the lot lies opposite a residential district, and the side and rear yards both rise to 50 ft where they abut one.
- The code sets no minimum lot area in this district
- Height is three storeys and 50 ft, but the Village Board may permit a greater height
- Junkyards are permitted subject to Chapter 120
- Unobjectionable manufacturing or processing needs a special permit of the Board of Trustees
- The front yard is measured from the edge of the right-of-way rather than the property line, so on a street with a wide right-of-way the buildable area starts further back
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Alden
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Village of Alden. The village has no local short-term rental law. That is not the same as permission, so confirm with the village 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 minimum0.34–0.46 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codewww4.erie.gov/village_alden/sites/www4.erie.gov.village_alden/files/2023-05/chapter_210_2020.pdf
- Building dept(716) 937-9216
ADU FAQ — Alden, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Alden, NY?
Village of Alden has 8 districts. 4 districts prohibit ADUs, 4 allow them with occupancy restrictions. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (716) 937-9216.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Alden?
No district in Village of Alden requires a special-use permit for an ADU - 4 districts prohibit ADUs, 4 allow them with occupancy restrictions. Site-plan review or a building permit may still apply.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Alden?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Village of Alden. 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 Alden
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 Alden, priced by size.
How we know this
- Sections analyzed
- § 210-17B(1) (R-1) · § 210-16 (R-O) · § 210-18 (R-2) · § 210-19 (R-C) · §§ 210-20 to 210-23 · § 210-14
- Districts confirmed
- 8 of 8 — 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 Alden: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Erie County · All Erie County towns
ADU information for Village of Alden 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) 937-9216 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.