Town of Waterford, NY: zoning for new construction

R-75 Residential - The figures shown are for a one-family house. A two-family dwelling needs 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, so 20,000 sq ft, on 150 ft of frontage, and a multifamily building needs 10,000 sq ft plus 10,000 per unit, so three units take 40,000 sq ft.

• A two-family dwelling takes a 50 ft front yard, 20 ft on one side, a 50 ft rear and 25% coverage, and the combined side minimum stays 25 ft.
• A multifamily building takes a 50 ft front yard, 20 ft on one side, 50 ft for both sides combined and a 50 ft rear, at 25% coverage on the same 75 ft of frontage.
• The 900 sq ft minimum floor area is per dwelling unit, so it applies to every unit in a multi-unit building rather than to the building.
• A convalescent or nursing home is rationed per bed: 2,000 sq ft per bed on 150 ft of frontage at 25% coverage.
• A funeral home, cider plant, cold storage or agricultural processing needs 40,000 sq ft on 270 ft of frontage at 20% coverage; a nursery school or professional office sits on the ordinary lot.

R-100 Residential - The figures shown are for a one-family house. A two-family dwelling needs 10,000 sq ft plus 10,000 per dwelling unit, so 30,000 sq ft, on 200 ft of frontage, and a multifamily building takes the same land on 100 ft of frontage.

• A two-family dwelling takes a 50 ft front yard, 20 ft on one side, 35 ft for both sides and a 50 ft rear; a multifamily building the same yards with 25 ft on one side.
• The 1,000 sq ft minimum floor area is per dwelling unit, so it applies to every unit in a multi-unit building rather than to the building.
• A convalescent or nursing home needs 15,000 sq ft or 2,000 sq ft per bed, whichever is larger, on 100 ft of frontage or 14 ft per bed, whichever is larger.
• A mobile home park needs 250,000 sq ft, 5.7 acres, while an individual mobile home takes 15,000 sq ft on 100 ft with the ordinary 40 ft front, 10 ft side, 25 ft both and 30 ft rear yards.
• A farm needs 5 acres on 100 ft of frontage and a public or private school or public building 40,000 sq ft on 270 ft, each at 50% coverage.

R-Rural Residential Rural - Every use in the district except farming takes the same envelope as the house these figures describe, so nothing moves with the use. The district sets no maximum coverage and no minimum floor area.

• Farms need at least ten acres on 100 ft of frontage at 50% coverage, so five times the land of a house but half its frontage.
• A farm accessory building takes a 50 ft front yard, 50 ft on one side, 100 ft for both sides and a 50 ft rear, and no lot area or frontage is stated for it.

C-1 Commercial - The zero side and rear yards apply only where the lot is not contiguous with a residence district. Where it is contiguous, the side yard becomes 20 ft and the rear 30 ft where it abuts.

• A one-family dwelling follows R-75: 11,250 sq ft on 75 ft of frontage at 30% coverage, with a 40 ft front yard, 10 ft on one side, 25 ft for both sides and a 30 ft rear.
• A duplex follows R-75's two-family row: 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, so 20,000 for two, on 150 ft of frontage at 25% coverage, with a 50 ft front, 20 ft one side and 50 ft rear.
• A multifamily building takes 10,000 sq ft plus 10,000 per dwelling unit, additive, so 3 units need 40,000, on 75 ft of frontage at 25% coverage with 50 ft for both sides.
• Every residential unit needs 900 sq ft of floor area.
• The Planning Board may allow zero side yard setbacks for commercial uses here, and the commercial and industrial uses have no minimum lot area, frontage, coverage limit or minimum floor area.

C-2 Commercial - The zero side and rear yards apply only where the lot is not contiguous with a residence district. Where it is contiguous, the side yard becomes 20 ft and the rear 30 ft where it abuts.

• A one-family dwelling follows R-75: 11,250 sq ft on 75 ft of frontage at 30% coverage, with a 40 ft front yard and a 30 ft rear.
• A duplex follows R-75's two-family row: 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, so 20,000 for two, on 150 ft of frontage at 25% coverage, with a 50 ft front, 20 ft one side and 50 ft rear.
• A multifamily building takes 10,000 sq ft plus 10,000 per dwelling unit, additive, so 3 units need 40,000, on 75 ft of frontage at 25% coverage with 50 ft for both sides.
• Every residential unit needs 900 sq ft of floor area.
• A mobile home park needs at least 250,000 sq ft, with a 30 ft front yard, 10 ft on one side, 25 ft for both sides and a 30 ft rear; C-2 and R-100 are the only districts allowing one.
• The commercial and industrial uses have no minimum lot area, no frontage requirement, no coverage limit and no minimum floor area.

C-3 Commercial - The zero side and rear yards apply only where the lot is not contiguous with a residence district. Where it is contiguous, the side yard becomes 20 ft and the rear 30 ft where it abuts.

• A one-family dwelling follows R-75: 11,250 sq ft on 75 ft of frontage at 30% coverage, with a 40 ft front yard, 10 ft on one side, 25 ft for both sides and a 30 ft rear.
• A duplex follows R-75's two-family row: 10,000 sq ft per dwelling unit, so 20,000 for two, on 150 ft of frontage at 25% coverage, with a 50 ft front, 20 ft one side and 50 ft rear.
• A multifamily building takes 10,000 sq ft plus 10,000 per dwelling unit, additive, so 3 units need 40,000, at 25% coverage with 50 ft for both sides.
• Every residential unit needs 900 sq ft of floor area.
• A dwelling takes the R-75 standards, and the 50 ft R-75 height travels with them, so a house here may stand taller than the 30 ft allowed for a commercial building.
• The 30 ft height is the lowest in the town, so a three-storey commercial building is the practical ceiling, and the commercial uses have no minimum lot, frontage, coverage or floor area.

M-1 Industrial - Residential uses are permitted in M-1, but no lot area, frontage, coverage or floor area standard for a dwelling exists anywhere in the chapter. Ask the Town about that silence before siting one.

• The zero side and rear yards apply only where the lot is not contiguous with a residence district. Where it is contiguous, the side yard becomes 20 ft and the rear 30 ft where it abuts.
• A cider plant, cold storage or agricultural processing takes 40,000 sq ft on 270 ft of frontage at 20% coverage, with a 40 ft front yard, 10 ft on one side, 25 ft for both sides and a 30 ft rear.

M-2 Industrial - The zero side and rear yards apply only where the lot is not contiguous with a residence district. Where it is contiguous, the side yard becomes 20 ft and the rear 30 ft where it abuts.

• A cider plant, cold storage or agricultural processing facility needs 40,000 sq ft on 270 ft of frontage at 20% coverage, with a 40 ft front, 10 ft side, 25 ft both sides and a 30 ft rear.
• The district sets no minimum lot area, no frontage, no coverage cap and no minimum floor area.