Greene County
Town of Cairo, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Cairo sets a residential minimum of about 2 acres in Rural Residential, one of its 9 zoning districts. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Power here is Central Hudson territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 622-3120 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Cairo →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Residential | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | As of right |
| Mountain Top Residential | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | As of right |
| Main Street Downtown | 2 ac | - / 15 / 15 ft | — | As of right |
| Main Street Commercial | 2 ac | - / 15 / 15 ft | — | As of right |
| Hamlet Cairo | 2 ac | - / 15 / 15 ft | — | As of right |
| Commercial Mixed Use | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | As of right |
| Commercial/Industrial | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | As of right |
| Municipal | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | No |
| Adult Use District | 2 ac | - / 25 / 25 ft | — | — |
Rural Residential, Mountain Top Residential, Commercial Mixed Use, Commercial/Industrial, Municipal, Adult Use District - The front setback is 65 feet measured from the center of the roadway, not from the front lot line, and a lot fronting two or more roads is held to 65 feet from the center line of each of them.
- The 2 acre minimum is for land with neither municipal water nor sewer. With one of them it is 1/2 acre (0.5 acre) and with both it is 1/4 acre (0.25 acre).
- Maximum lot coverage rises to 80% where either municipal water or sewer is available.
- A lot fronting two or more roads is held to 65 feet from the center line of each of them.
- Minimum frontage on a public or private road is 150 feet in this district, and 50 feet on a flag lot or along the arc of a cul-de-sac.
- Fences, retaining walls, mailboxes, utilities, septic systems, wells, stormwater measures and driveways may stand inside a required setback.
- The zoning law sets no maximum building height in any district.
Main Street Downtown - There is no numbered front setback here. § V.C.2.a requires the front of a building to be consistent with the existing, surrounding structures, so the figure depends on the neighbours rather than on the district.
- The 2 acre minimum is for land with neither municipal water nor sewer. With one of them it is 1/2 acre (0.5 acre) and with both it is 1/4 acre (0.25 acre).
- Maximum lot coverage rises to 80% where either municipal water or sewer is available.
- The side and rear setbacks of 15 feet are measured from the property line.
- Minimum frontage on a public or private road is 25 feet in this district, and 50 feet on a flag lot or along the arc of a cul-de-sac.
- Fences, retaining walls, mailboxes, utilities, septic systems, wells, stormwater measures and driveways may stand inside a required setback.
- The zoning law sets no maximum building height in any district.
Main Street Commercial, Hamlet Cairo - There is no numbered front setback here. § V.C.2.a requires the front of a building to be consistent with the existing, surrounding structures, so the figure depends on the neighbours rather than on the district.
- The 2 acre minimum is for land with neither municipal water nor sewer. With one of them it is 1/2 acre (0.5 acre) and with both it is 1/4 acre (0.25 acre).
- Maximum lot coverage rises to 80% where either municipal water or sewer is available.
- The side and rear setbacks of 15 feet are measured from the property line.
- Minimum frontage on a public or private road is 50 feet in this district, and 50 feet on a flag lot or along the arc of a cul-de-sac.
- Fences, retaining walls, mailboxes, utilities, septic systems, wells, stormwater measures and driveways may stand inside a required setback.
- The zoning law sets no maximum building height in any district.
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. The Town of Cairo has no local short-term rental law. That is not the same as permission, so confirm with the town before counting on rental income.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The town can be reached at (518) 622-3120.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Cairo Zoning Law (June 5, 2017), Section V: Lot Size, Front, Rear and Side Setbacks
- Building dept(518) 622-3120
- Last reviewed2026-10-05
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $197–$259/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $25,578 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Cairo, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Cairo?
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 Greene County towns
All Greene County zoning: Athens · Catskill · Coxsackie · Greenville · Halcott · Jewett · Lexington · New Baltimore · Athens (Village) · Catskill (Village) · Coxsackie (Village) · Hunter (Village) · Tannersville (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Cairo are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-10-05) 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 (518) 622-3120 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.