ADU · Erie County
Can you build an ADU in North Collins, NY?
Village of North Collins has 7 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the North Collins code says
No district here has an accessory apartment or in-law unit. In R-1 and R-2 the route to a second unit is a special permit from the Board of Appeals to convert a house that already stood when the chapter was adopted, and R-3 and RM permit a two-family dwelling outright.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The converted dwelling must have at least 2,000 sq ft of floor area devoted to dwelling purposes and sit on a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft
- A house built after the chapter was adopted cannot take that route
- Nothing limits who may live in either unit
- In R-1, R-2 and R-3 a garage or other accessory building may not be used for living quarters unless it is attached to a dwelling
- In R-3 and RM a two-family dwelling is a principal use rather than a conversion
- B-1 and B-2 permit one-, two- and multifamily dwellings only by special permit, and M-1 only a one-family dwelling
What the North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 Residential District | 0.23 ac | 25 / 8 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-2 Residential District | 0.15 ac | 20 / 5 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-3 Residential District | 0.12 ac | 15 / 5 / 20 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Mobile Home Park District | 0.083 ac | 75 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Business District | — | 0 / 0 / 0 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Business District | 0.11 ac | 35 / 15 / 35 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Manufacturing District | 0.11 ac | 0 / 0 / 0 ft | 40 ft | No |
R-1 Residential District - A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width, and on such a lot that rule rather than the front setback shown is what binds.
- That Main Street rule applies everywhere except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
R-2 Residential District - The two side yards may be traded against one another: one may fall to three and a half feet provided the other is at least six and a half.
- A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width
- On a Main Street lot that rule binds rather than the front setback shown, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
R-3 Residential District - The lot minimum is a floor and the per-unit figure governs yield: at least 2,000 sq ft of lot area is required for each dwelling unit, so a three-unit building needs 6,000 sq ft and the 5,000 sq ft minimum only binds up to two units.
- The two side yards may be traded against one another: one may fall to three and a half feet provided the other is at least six and a half
- A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width
- On a Main Street lot that rule binds rather than the front setback shown, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
Mobile Home Park District - The figures shown are for a lot inside the park. The park itself must be at least five acres in single ownership or unified control, planned as a unit.
- On a Main Street lot a building must be 50 ft from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
- The maximum number of lots is the gross area less 20% for usable open space, divided by 3,600 sq ft
- Land in a floodplain, subject to periodic flooding or chronic wetness, under a public utility easement or sloping more than 15% comes out of the area before that calculation
- The Planning Board may also take out any part of the site it judges severely limited by another physical feature
- Mobile homes must stand 75 ft from a road right-of-way at the park boundary, 50 ft from any other park boundary, and 25 ft from each other and from any park road, common parking or community area.
- Every lot must be reached by a paved private access road
Business District - Apart from the Main Street setback, the only yards required are against houses: 15 ft at the side and 20 ft at the rear where the lot adjoins any land in a residence district. No lot area or lot depth is required.
- A dwelling of any kind is reachable here only by special use permit
- A filling station, outdoor commercial recreation, a theatre, a veterinary hospital, an outdoor car lot and a manufacturing use of no more than 3,000 sq ft of floor area also need one
- A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width
- On a Main Street lot that rule binds rather than the district figure, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
Business District - A dwelling of any kind is reachable here only by special use permit.
- A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width
- On a Main Street lot that rule binds rather than the district figure, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
Manufacturing District - Apart from the Main Street setback, the only yards required are against houses: 15 ft at the side and 20 ft at the rear where the lot adjoins any land in a residence district.
- A manufacturing operation is permitted only where no objectionable noise, dust, glare, vibration, odour, smoke or effluent is apparent beyond the lot boundary
- A one-family dwelling, a truck terminal and a junkyard are reachable by special use permit
- A building on a lot adjoining or adjacent to Main Street must stand 50 ft back from the nearest right-of-way line, or 50 ft plus half the right-of-way width
- On a Main Street lot that rule binds rather than the district figure, except between Kimble Street and School Street and its projection westward
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in North Collins
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Village of North Collins. 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 minimum0.083–0.23 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/13907252
- Building dept(716) 337-3160
ADU FAQ — North Collins, NY
Are ADUs allowed in North Collins, NY?
Village of North Collins has 7 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (716) 337-3160.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in North Collins?
No. No district in Village of North Collins permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (716) 337-3160 before ruling it out.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in North Collins?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Village of North 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 North 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 North Collins, priced by size.
How we know this
- Sections analyzed
- § 181-13B(2)(a) · § 181-13 · § 181-15 · § 181-19 · § 181-21B · § 181-30B
- Districts confirmed
- 7 of 7 — 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 North Collins: 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 North 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) 337-3160 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.