Town of Athens, NY: zoning for new construction

Rural Residential District - The figures shown apply to lots on on-lot water and septic. With public water and sewer the minimum lot drops to 15,100 square feet (0.3467 acre) on 100 ft of width, with a 15 ft side yard.

• With either public water or public sewer alone, the minimum lot is 30,000 square feet (0.6887 acre) on 125 ft of width, and the 40 ft side yard does not change.
• The lot area shown is the land required per dwelling unit, and it is the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.
• A nonresidential use is sized on its own column: 20,000 square feet (0.4591 acre) with public water or public sewer, and 1 acre on on-lot water and septic.
• The 25 ft front and rear yards and the 100 ft lot depth stay the same whichever services the lot has.
• The coverage cap is a maximum percent of parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Rural District - Each dwelling unit requires 3 acres, and public water or sewer does not lower that. The 3 acres is also the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.

• The figures shown apply to lots served by on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• A nonresidential use is sized separately: 20,000 square feet with public water or public sewer, or 1 acre with on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• Yards, lot width, lot depth, height and coverage for a nonresidential use are the same as for a dwelling.
• The 30% coverage figure is a maximum percent parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Rural District (Moderate Density) - The 1 acre is a density standard, one dwelling unit per acre, and it also serves as the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C. The acre applies whether or not public water or sewer reaches the lot.

• A nonresidential use needs the same 1 acre of lot area.
• The 30% coverage figure is a maximum parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Hamlet District - The lot minimum shown applies where water and sewage are handled on the lot. With public water and sewer the hamlet lot minimum is 10,000 square feet (0.2296 acre); with either public water or public sewer alone, 20,000 square feet (0.4591 acre).

• This district also sets a maximum front yard of 35 ft: a building must come within 35 ft of the front lot line as well as keeping the 25 ft front setback.
• A nonresidential use is sized separately: 20,000 square feet (0.4591 acre) with public water or public sewer, and 1 acre on on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• The lot figure is a residential density, the land each dwelling unit requires, and it is the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.
• The 80 ft width and depth, the yards, the 25 ft height and the 40% coverage are the same whichever water and sewer service a lot has.
• The coverage figure is a maximum percent parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Mixed Use Commercial District - The lot size shown applies to a dwelling; a nonresidential use needs 1 acre. Each dwelling unit requires 130,000 square feet, and that density sets the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.

• For a nonresidential use the yards, lot width, lot depth, height and coverage are the same as for a dwelling.
• The coverage figure is a maximum percent parcel coverage and applies to all lots.
• These standards are set for on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• Residential use is allowed in this district as per Table 2, but it is not encouraged.

Agriculture District - A dwelling here requires one dwelling unit per 10 acres, and that density also sets the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board approves an average lot size under § 180-12C.

• A nonresidential use is sized separately, at 1 acre of lot area; the yards, width, depth, height and coverage stay the same as for a dwelling.
• These figures apply to lots with on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• The 25% coverage cap is a maximum parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Open Space District - The 5 acre figure is a density of one dwelling unit per 5 acres, set as the minimum lot size for a dwelling. A nonresidential use is sized on its own standard at 1 acre, with the same yards, width, depth, height and coverage.

• The Planning Board may allow an average lot size in place of the 5 acre minimum under § 180-12C.
• These figures apply to lots served by on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• The coverage cap is a maximum percent of parcel coverage and applies to all lots.

Rural Residential / Route 385 Corridor - One dwelling unit per 3 acres, the same whether the lot has public water and sewer, one of the two, or on-lot water and sewage disposal. That 3 acres is also the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.

• A nonresidential use is sized by its own standard: 20,000 square feet where there is public water or public sewer, or 1 acre on on-lot water and sewage disposal.
• Yards, lot width, lot depth, height and coverage are the same for a nonresidential use as for a dwelling.
• The coverage cap is a maximum percent of parcel coverage and applies to all lots.
• The dimensions shown are the case for lots on on-lot water and sewage disposal.

Hollister Lake Watershed Overlay - This overlay sits over an underlying district, and that district answers what uses are allowed on the parcel. Land must provide 5 acres per dwelling unit, and the 15% coverage cap is measured across the whole parcel and applies to all lots.

• A nonresidential use is sized on its own 2 acre lot minimum; the yards, width, depth, height and coverage stay the same as for a dwelling.
• The minimum lot size may differ where the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.
• Under § 180-30, site disturbance must stay 100 ft back from DEC streams classed C(T) and higher and 50 ft from nonregulated watercourses.
• Any alteration of a watercourse requires Planning Board review.
• § 180-15A bars on-site waste disposal, spreading of septage or sludge, dumping of imported road salt or sand, and bulk storage of fuels, chemicals and fertilisers except in sealed structures.
• These figures assume on-lot water and sewage disposal.

Green Lake Watershed Overlay - This is a watershed overlay: the figures set density at one dwelling unit per 5 acres, but what may be built comes from the district beneath it. Site disturbance must stay 100 ft back from DEC streams classed C(T) and higher and 50 ft from nonregulated watercourses.

• A nonresidential use is sized by its own standard, 2 acres; the yards, width, depth, height and coverage match those for a dwelling.
• The 5 acre figure is the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.
• The 15% figure is a maximum parcel coverage and applies to all lots.
• § 180-15A prohibits on-site disposal of waste and the surface application of septage or sludge.
• § 180-15A also prohibits disposal of imported road salt or sand and bulk storage of fuels, chemicals and fertilisers except in sealed structures.
• Any alteration of a watercourse requires Planning Board review under § 180-30.

Black Lake Watershed Overlay - Site disturbance has to stay 100 ft back from DEC streams classed C(T) and higher and 50 ft from nonregulated watercourses, on top of the yards shown. The figures shown are this overlay's own row.

• A nonresidential use is sized by its own standard, a minimum lot size of 2 acres; the yards, width, depth, height and coverage are the same as for a dwelling.
• Which uses are allowed, including whether an accessory apartment is available, is answered by the district beneath this overlay.
• The 5 acres is the land each dwelling unit requires, and it is also the minimum lot size unless the Planning Board allows an average lot size under § 180-12C.
• § 180-15A prohibits on-site disposal of waste, surface application of septage or sludge, and disposal of imported road salt or sand.
• Bulk storage of fuels, chemicals and fertilisers is prohibited except in sealed structures under § 180-15A.
• Any alteration of a watercourse requires Planning Board review under § 180-30.