ADU · Monroe County
Can you build an ADU in Rush, NY?
Town of Rush has 6 districts. 3 districts prohibit ADUs, 3 require a special-use permit. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Rush code says
Accessory apartments are a special permit use in R-20, R-30 and RR-5. The conditions that govern one, such as floor area, occupancy, owner occupancy, parking and whether it may be detached, are not confirmed, so ask Code Enforcement before sizing a unit.
Conditions the code attaches:
- § 120-7B(12) lists accessory apartments as a special permit use in R-20, and § 120-8A extends the R-20 use list to R-30 and RR-5.
- A two-family dwelling is a separate route in the same districts, one per lot, and both units must be owned by a single owner, so the halves cannot be sold separately.
- Confirm with Code Enforcement at (585) 533-1312.
What the Rush 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 20 | 0.46 ac | 100 / 15 / 25 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential 30 | 0.69 ac | 100 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Rural Residential 5 | 5 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential Multiple Dwelling | 2 ac | 100 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Residential Mobile Home | 5 ac | 100 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Residential Townhouse | 1 ac | 100 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
Residential 20 - The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests. A lot on a state or county road owes 110 ft.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- A 50 ft minimum front lot line applies in addition to the lot width.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
- An undersized pre-existing lot between 14,000 and 15,999 sq ft needs 85 ft of width and a 10 ft side setback; between 16,000 and 17,999, 90 ft and 12 ft; between 18,000 and 19,999, 95 ft and 14 ft.
- Minimum gross floor area is 1,000 sq ft per unit for a townhouse.
Residential 30 - The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests. A lot on a state or county road owes 110 ft.
- A townhouse takes a minimum gross floor area of 1,000 sq ft per unit rather than the 1,200 sq ft a detached house must reach; the lot, width, depth, setbacks and coverage are unchanged.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- A 50 ft minimum front lot line applies in addition to the lot width.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
- An undersized pre-existing lot between 21,000 and 23,999 sq ft needs 125 ft of width and a 16 ft side setback; between 24,000 and 26,999, 135 ft and 20 ft; between 27,000 and 29,999, 145 ft and 24 ft.
Rural Residential 5 - The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests. A lot on a state or county road owes 110 ft.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- A 50 ft minimum front lot line applies in addition to the lot width.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
- The undersized-lot relief in § 120-17 covers R-20 and R-30 only, not this district.
Residential Multiple Dwelling - The 2 acres shown is the minimum size of the whole development parcel, not the land one dwelling needs, and the unit count is set by 5,500 sq ft per dwelling unit under § 120-17.
- The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests.
- A lot on a state or county road owes a 110 ft front setback.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- A 50 ft minimum front lot line applies in addition to the lot width.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
- Minimum gross floor area rises to 1,000 sq ft per unit for a townhouse.
Residential Mobile Home - The 5 acres shown is the minimum size of the whole development, and the unit count is set by 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit under § 120-17. The 60 ft width, 100 ft depth and 35 ft minimum front lot line describe an individual pad, not the site.
- The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests.
- A lot on a state or county road owes a 110 ft front setback.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
Residential Townhouse - The 1 acre shown is the minimum size of the whole development, and the unit count is set by 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit under § 120-17. Side and rear setbacks apply to clusters, not units: 25 ft from a cluster to a property line and 50 ft between clusters.
- The zero width, depth and front lot line are the stated standard: an individual townhouse lot has no shape requirement because the development is regulated as a whole.
- The 25 ft rear setback is measured from the property line of the townhouse development.
- The 100 ft front setback is measured from the highway center line, not the front property line, so on a sixty-foot right-of-way it takes 30 ft less of the lot than the figure suggests.
- A lot on a state or county road owes a 110 ft front setback.
- The 50% cap counts buildings plus hardscape such as the drive, walks and patio; the 25% cap counts buildings only.
- Accessory structures may come no nearer to the highway or a lot line than the main structure may.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Rush
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Rush. Rush has no local short-term rental law. That is not permission: the zoning code prohibits any use its closed use list does not name, so confirm with Code Enforcement before counting on a short-term rental. 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 minimum0.46–5 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/11861311
- Building dept(585) 533-1312
ADU FAQ — Rush, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Rush, NY?
Town of Rush has 6 districts. 3 districts prohibit ADUs, 3 require a special-use permit. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (585) 533-1312.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Rush?
It depends on the district: 3 of 6 require a special-use permit, the rest do not. Check the district that applies to your parcel before you design.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Rush?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Rush. 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 Rush
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 Rush, priced by size.
How we know this
- Sections analyzed
- Ch. 120 § 120-7B(12) R-20 special permit uses; § 120-8A cross-reference to R-30 and RR-5
- Districts confirmed
- 6 of 6 — 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 Rush: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Monroe County · All Monroe County towns
ADU information for Town of Rush is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-13) 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 (585) 533-1312 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.