ADU · Monroe County
Can you build an ADU in Pittsford, NY?
Village of Pittsford has 4 districts. 2 districts prohibit ADUs, 2 require a special-use permit. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Pittsford code says
An accessory unit needs a special use permit, in LDR and in R-5, where it goes over a garage and is capped at 750 sq ft. One unit must be the owner's principal residence, sworn by affidavit and renewed on each sale. MDR and LOR allow none.
Conditions the code attaches:
- Inside the house only if it has at least 2,500 sq ft of habitable floor area, with the unit entrance at the side or rear
- In a detached garage or outbuilding only if it is in the rear yard with at least 500 sq ft of habitable floor area
- In R-5, over a garage only, up to 750 sq ft and 1 1/2 stories or 30 feet, under the same special use permit
- No more than two bedrooms, and one extra off-street parking space
- One unit per single-family house, never on a nonconforming lot, and never sold separately from the house
- Building Inspector: (585) 586-4332
How big an ADU can be in Pittsford
Size limits are set per district, and a unit inside the house is a different standard from a detached one. These are the figures the code publishes.
750 sq ft
1 other district allows an accessory unit but the code publishes no size for it here, so this page does not state one.
What the Pittsford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Density Residential | 0.39 ac | 70 / 10 / 35 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Medium Density Residential | 0.21 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Limited Office Residential | 0.18 ac | 25 / 10 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Residential (R-5) | — | 15 / 5 / 20 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
Low Density Residential - The 25% cap is on gross impervious surface, so the driveway, walks and patio count against it alongside the house. The minimum ground floor shrinks as the house gets taller: 1,600 sq ft for one storey, 1,400 sq ft for one and a half and 1,000 sq ft for two.
- A nonresidential use needs a special permit and takes 25,000 sq ft on 100 ft of width with a 15 ft side yard.
- The front yard may instead be the average between developed lots adjacent to the property, so on a built-up street the neighbours may set the line.
- A larger side and rear yard applies to a nonresidential use adjacent to a residential use; the figures shown are for the residential case.
- No more than one accessory storage building per lot, excluding a private garage, of up to 120 sq ft, kept out of the front and side yards and at least 10 ft behind the principal building.
- Accessory structures need 3 ft side and rear yards, are capped at 12 ft and may never exceed the height of the primary structure.
- The lot depth shown is a minimum average lot depth.
Medium Density Residential - A single-family detached house and a home occupation are permitted here, while two-family, single-family attached, multifamily, bed-and-breakfast and accessory dwelling unit uses are barred. The 25% cap is on gross impervious surface, driveway and patio included.
- A nonresidential use takes 20,000 sq ft on 100 ft of width and owes 15 ft at the side beside a residential use; only a place of worship and a school are reachable, both by special permit.
- The minimum ground floor shrinks as the house gets taller: 1,200 sq ft for one storey, 1,000 sq ft for one and a half and 750 sq ft for two.
- The front yard may instead be the average between developed lots adjacent to the property, so on a built-up street the neighbours may set the line.
- A larger side and rear yard applies to a nonresidential use adjacent to a residential use; the figures shown are for the residential case.
- No more than one accessory storage building per lot, excluding a private garage, of up to 120 sq ft, kept out of the front and side yards and at least 10 ft behind the principal building.
- Accessory structures need 3 ft side and rear yards, are capped at 12 ft and may never exceed the height of the primary structure.
Limited Office Residential - A two-family dwelling is permitted by right on the same minimum lot as a single-family house, and this is the only district in the village that permits one. The 50% cap is on gross impervious surface, so the driveway, walks and patio count against it.
- A nonresidential use takes 12,000 sq ft on 80 ft of width, the lowest nonresidential lot minimum in the village, and owes 15 ft at the side and 35 ft at the rear beside a residential use.
- A bed-and-breakfast and a hospice, nursing home or assisted-living facility need a special permit.
- The front yard may instead be the average between developed lots adjacent to the property, so on a built-up street the neighbours may set the line.
- No more than one accessory storage building per lot, excluding a private garage, of up to 120 sq ft, kept out of the front and side yards and at least 10 ft behind the principal building.
- Accessory structures need 3 ft side and rear yards, are capped at 12 ft and may never exceed the height of the primary structure.
Residential (R-5) - Lot width must be not less than 30 ft and not more than 40 ft, so a wide lot is as non-conforming as a narrow one, and the lot is controlled by width and depth rather than area. All new construction is subject to site plan review and the district Regulating Plan.
- Multiple dwellings, condominiums and apartments need a special permit, only within 100 ft of the canal edge, at a maximum of 25 dwelling units per acre.
- No building may exceed 4 1/2 storeys and no more than half the footprint within a complex may exceed 3 1/2 storeys; larger buildings must be divided into sections no longer than 150 ft.
- Height is 2 1/2 storeys or 35 ft, whichever is less, and a residence must be at least 1 1/2 storeys tall.
- One-family detached and semidetached dwellings are permitted by right, the 5 ft side yard applies only without a shared party wall, and the 700 sq ft ground floor applies to a two-storey building.
- Buildings must face the street with the primary facade and connect to the village sidewalk system.
- Garage doors are barred from the street-facing facade and a freestanding garage must sit behind the residence; one driveway is permitted, up to 10 ft wide for one car or 18 ft for two.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Pittsford
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Village of Pittsford. 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. Municipal source
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.21–0.39 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/35494328
- Building dept(585) 586-4332
ADU FAQ — Pittsford, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Pittsford, NY?
Village of Pittsford has 4 districts. 2 districts prohibit ADUs, 2 require a special-use permit. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (585) 586-4332.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Pittsford?
It depends on the district: 2 of 4 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 Pittsford?
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Village of Pittsford. 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 Pittsford
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 Pittsford, priced by size.
How we know this
- Sections analyzed
- Ch. 210 § 210-20.4 use lists; § 210-24.3 Accessory dwelling units; 210 Attachment 1, Article VA R-5 Residential District, § 4H
- 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 Pittsford: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Monroe County · All Monroe County towns
ADU information for Village of Pittsford 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) 586-4332 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.