ADU · Monroe County
Can you build an ADU in Sweden, NY?
Town of Sweden has 4 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Sweden code says
Sweden's code has no accessory apartment, in-law unit or accessory dwelling unit, and its one-family districts allow one dwelling. Extra units are contemplated only in MR-1, the multiple residence district, at no more than 12 dwelling units per acre under § 175-39.
Conditions the code attaches:
- § 175-7 defines a one-family dwelling as a detached building designed for or occupied exclusively by one family, and defines no accessory unit.
- In R1-2, R1-2S and R1-3S, accessory uses are limited to a private garage, customary home occupations and other customary accessory uses and buildings incidental to the principal use.
- Ch. 134, § 134-4 bars keeping a mobile home for residential purposes outside a mobile home park, so there is no temporary or hardship mobile home route.
- MR-1 (§ 175-39) covers multiple dwellings, town homes, patio homes, condominiums and zero-lot-line duplexes and quadplexes.
- § 175-26 regulates accessory buildings by setback only.
- For anything involving a second unit, confirm with the Building Department at (585) 637-8684.
What the Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-Family Residential, no sewer and/or water | 1.84 ac | 75 / 10 / 40 ft | 36 ft | No |
| One-Family Residential within a sanitary sewer district | 0.34 ac | 50 / 10 / 40 ft | 36 ft | No |
| One-Family Residential within a sanitary sewer district | 0.23 ac | 40 / 10 / 40 ft | 36 ft | No |
| Multiple Residence | — | 20 / 20 / 50 ft | 36 ft | No |
One-Family Residential, no sewer and/or water - The lot minimum turns on septic and water: 40,000 sq ft with public water and an in-ground or modified raised fill system, 150,000 sq ft where an aboveground modified raised fill system is needed, and five acres where a full raised fill system is required.
- Lot area is net: it excludes designated wetlands and their one-hundred-foot buffers, highway rights-of-way, reserved strips and the driveway land on a flag lot (§ 175-36D(2)(d)).
- The 40,000 sq ft step takes 150 ft of width, and the 150,000 sq ft and five-acre steps take 260 ft.
- Road frontage stays 60 ft at every step, and width is measured at the front line of the house, so a lot may neck down at the road if it opens to the required width where the house sits.
- An aboveground modified raised fill system has its own setbacks: 75 ft to the sides and 50 ft front and rear on a 150,000 sq ft lot, and 25 ft to every property line on a 40,000 sq ft lot.
- Minimum building area is 710 sq ft for a one-and-one-half-storey, split-level or raised ranch and 576 sq ft for a two-storey.
- Each dwelling unit needs one habitable room per resident of at least 120 sq ft, at least 70 sq ft per person in a bedroom, and one full bathroom for each eight residents.
One-Family Residential within a sanitary sewer district - This district is mapped as a sanitary sewer district, so whether a parcel is here or in R1-2 comes from the Zoning Map, not from whether the lot is connected. The same one-family house needs 15,000 sq ft here and 80,000 sq ft in R1-2.
- On an arterial highway the front setback rises to 75 ft.
- Width is measured at the front line of the house, and only 60 ft of road frontage is required.
- Minimum building area is 710 sq ft for a one-and-one-half-storey, split-level or raised ranch and 576 sq ft for a two-storey.
- Each dwelling unit needs one habitable room per resident of at least 120 sq ft, at least 70 sq ft per person in a bedroom, and one full bathroom for each eight residents.
One-Family Residential within a sanitary sewer district - Every property line that abuts a street must meet the front setback, so a corner lot owes 40 ft on both frontages. On an arterial highway the front setback rises to 75 ft.
- Lot depth may be reduced by up to 10%, to 108 ft, provided the minimum lot area is still maintained.
- Minimum building area is 710 sq ft for a one-and-one-half-storey, split-level or raised ranch and 576 sq ft for a two-storey.
- Each dwelling unit needs one habitable room per resident of at least 120 sq ft, at least 70 sq ft per person in a bedroom, and one full bathroom for each eight residents.
Multiple Residence - At least 25% of the total lot area must stay open and unused, and it may not be paved or used for parking, storage or buildings. Parking is not counted in the 50% building coverage, so the site plan splits three ways between building, parking and open space.
- The district states no minimum lot area, so yield comes from the 12 units per acre density cap and the 50% coverage cap together.
- Parking is two spaces per apartment in buildings over four units, and three per unit for town homes, patio homes, condominiums, duplexes and quadplexes, at least one in an enclosed garage.
- Buildings on the same site must stand 20 ft apart.
- The open area may include landscaping, stormwater retention or detention, underground utilities, screening and fencing.
- Multiple dwellings, town homes, patio homes, condominiums and zero lot-line duplexes and quadplexes are permitted by right.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Sweden
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Sweden. The Town of Sweden Code has no short-term rental provision, and each district's principal uses are a closed list, so a short-term rental may be an unpermitted use. The rule is not confirmed; confirm with the building department before counting on the use. 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 minimum0.23–1.84 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/10495462
- Building dept(585) 637-8684
ADU FAQ — Sweden, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Sweden, NY?
Town of Sweden has 4 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (585) 637-8684.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Sweden?
No. No district in Town of Sweden permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (585) 637-8684 before ruling it out.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Sweden?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Sweden. 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 Sweden
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 Sweden, priced by size.
How we know this
- Sections analyzed
- Ch. 175 §§ 175-36 to 175-39; § 175-7; § 175-26; Ch. 134 § 134-4
- Districts confirmed
- 4 of 4 — 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 Sweden: 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 Sweden 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) 637-8684 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.