ADU · Sullivan County

Can you build an ADU in Bethel, NY?

Town of Bethel has 12 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:

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What the Bethel code says

Bethel's use schedule lists no accessory apartment or accessory dwelling unit, so an accessory unit is not an available use in any district.

Conditions the code attaches:

Confirm what your parcel allows with the building department at (845) 583-4350 before counting on a second unit.

What the Bethel 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
Airport Development District	5 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Agricultural District	3 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Agricultural Residential District	3 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Highway Commercial District	1 ac	25 / 25 / 25 ft	35 ft	No
Community Settlement District	0.5 ac	25 / 10 / 25 ft	35 ft	No
Forest Conservation District	5 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Gateway Commercial District	2 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Hamlet Commercial District	1 ac	25 / 25 / 25 ft	35 ft	No
Performing Arts Center Development District	3 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Rural Gateway District	3 ac	75 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Rural Development District	2 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No
Rural Development Residential District	2 ac	50 / 25 / 50 ft	35 ft	No

Airport Development District - No dwelling is permitted here. The base figures describe the by-right uses of this district, transient campgrounds and occasional outdoor commercial recreation: 5 acres, 200 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side, 75 feet both sides, 35 feet tall.

Schedule I leaves the building coverage cell blank on both by-right rows, so the district publishes no building coverage figure for them.
Light industry, manufacturing, warehousing, research and development, industrial offices, day-care and eating places are special permit uses on 2 acres, with 150 feet of width and 200 feet of depth.
Those special permit uses set back 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet on one side and 50 feet for both sides, with 30% building coverage and a 30 foot height limit.
A group home is a special permit use on 3 acres, with 200 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side, 75 feet both sides, 20% coverage and 35 feet of height.
Hotels and motels are a special permit use on 6 acres, with 400 feet of width and depth, 100 feet front and rear, 50 feet one side, 100 feet both sides, 30% coverage and 35 feet of height.
An airport is a special permit use on 100 acres, with 1,200 feet of width, 1,800 feet of depth, 500 feet front and rear, 250 feet one side, 500 feet both sides and 30% coverage.

Agricultural District, Agricultural Residential District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 3 acres, with 200 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, a 75 foot front setback, a 50 foot rear setback, 25 feet on one side and 75 feet for both sides together, 20% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

A manufactured home is also permitted by right in this district on the same 3 acres and the same width, depth, setbacks, coverage and height.
Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.

Highway Commercial District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 1 acre, with 100 feet of lot width, 150 feet of lot depth, 25 foot front, rear and one side setbacks, 50 feet for both sides together, 25% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

A two-family dwelling is permitted by right on 2 acres, with 150 feet of width, 200 feet of depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side and 50 feet for both sides.
A multifamily dwelling needs a special permit on 4 acres, with 300 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 50 feet one side and 100 feet for both sides.
Multifamily density is capped at 4 dwelling units per acre, and both of those dwelling types keep 25% building coverage and the 35 foot height limit.
Nonresidential development in this district is also subject to the gateway design guidelines for the state highway corridor.

Community Settlement District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 0.5 acre, with 100 feet of lot width, 150 feet of lot depth, a 25 foot front setback, a 25 foot rear setback, 10 feet on one side and 25 feet for both sides together, 30% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

A two-family dwelling is permitted by right on 1 acre, with 100 feet of width, 150 feet of depth, 25 feet front and rear, 25 feet one side and 50 feet for both sides.
A multifamily dwelling needs a special permit on 2 acres, with 150 feet of width, 200 feet of depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side and 50 feet for both sides.
Multifamily density is capped at 4 dwelling units per acre, and both of those dwelling types keep 30% building coverage and the 35 foot height limit.
Nonresidential development in this district is also subject to the gateway design guidelines for the state highway corridor.

Forest Conservation District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 5 acres, with 200 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, a 75 foot front setback, a 50 foot rear setback, 25 feet on one side and 75 feet for both sides together, 10% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.
A commercial greenhouse is allowed on 5 acres with 300 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 75 feet rear, 50 feet one side, 100 feet both sides and 40% building coverage.

Gateway Commercial District - A one-family detached dwelling without public sewer is permitted by right on 2 acres, with 150 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet on one side, 50 feet for both sides, 30% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

Where public sewer serves the lot the same dwelling is permitted by right on 0.5 acre, with 100 feet of width and 150 feet of depth.
That served lot sets back 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, 10 feet on one side and 25 feet for both sides, keeping 30% building coverage and the 35 foot height limit.
Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.
Nonresidential development in this district is also subject to the gateway design guidelines for the state highway corridor.

Hamlet Commercial District - No dwelling is permitted here. The base figures describe a community building without public sewer, a by-right use of this district: 1 acre, 100 feet of width, 150 feet of depth, 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, 25 feet one side, 50 feet both sides, 35% coverage, 35 feet tall.

On public sewer a community building is permitted by right on 0.5 acre, with 100 feet of width, 150 feet of depth, 25 feet front and rear, 10 feet one side and 25 feet for both sides.
A hotel or motel on public sewer needs a special permit on 2 acres, with 150 feet of width, 200 feet of depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side and 50 feet for both sides.
A hotel or motel without public sewer needs a special permit on 4 acres, with 300 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 50 feet one side, 100 feet both sides and 25% building coverage.
Sewer services are readily available around White Lake, where this district sits.
Nonresidential development in this district is also subject to the gateway design guidelines for the state highway corridor.

Performing Arts Center Development District - A one-family detached dwelling without public sewer is permitted by right on 3 acres, with 200 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet on one side, 75 feet for both sides, 25% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

Where public sewer serves the lot the same dwelling is permitted by right on 0.5 acre, with 100 feet of width and 150 feet of depth.
That served lot sets back 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, 10 feet on one side and 25 feet for both sides, keeping 25% building coverage and the 35 foot height limit.
A planned unit development needs a special permit on 50 acres, with 600 feet of width and depth, 100 feet front, 100 feet rear, 100 feet one side and 200 feet for both sides.
Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.

Rural Gateway District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 3 acres, with 200 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, a 75 foot front setback, a 50 foot rear setback, 25 feet on one side and 75 feet for both sides together, 20% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.
Nonresidential development in this district is also subject to the gateway design guidelines for the state highway corridor.

Rural Development District - A one-family detached dwelling is permitted by right on 2 acres, with 150 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, a 50 foot front setback, a 50 foot rear setback, 25 feet on one side and 50 feet for both sides together, 25% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

A manufactured home is also permitted by right on the same 2 acres and the same width, depth, setbacks, coverage and height.
A manufactured home park needs a special permit on 25 acres, with 600 feet of width and depth, 200 feet front, 200 feet rear, 100 feet one side and 200 feet for both sides.
Schedule I lists no two-family dwelling and no multifamily dwelling for this district.

Rural Development Residential District - A one-family detached dwelling without public sewer is permitted by right on 2 acres, with 150 feet of lot width, 200 feet of lot depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet on one side, 50 feet for both sides, 25% building coverage and a 35 foot height limit.

Where public sewer serves the lot the same dwelling is permitted by right on 0.5 acre, with 100 feet of width, 150 feet of depth, 25 feet front and rear, 10 feet one side and 25 feet for both sides.
A manufactured home is permitted by right on 2 acres without public sewer, or on 0.5 acre with public sewer, on the same width, depth and setbacks as the dwelling.
A manufactured home park needs a special permit on 25 acres, with 600 feet of width and depth, 200 feet front, 200 feet rear, 100 feet one side and 200 feet for both sides.
A multifamily dwelling on public sewer needs a special permit on 2 acres, with 150 feet of width, 200 feet of depth, 50 feet front, 50 feet rear, 25 feet one side and 50 feet for both sides.
A multifamily dwelling without public sewer needs a special permit on 4 acres, with 300 feet of width and depth, 75 feet front, 50 feet rear, 50 feet one side and 100 feet for both sides.
Multifamily density is capped at 4 dwelling units per acre on public sewer and 2 dwelling units per acre without it, and building coverage stays at 25%.

ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Bethel

Short-term-rental status not confirmed for Town of Bethel. Short-term rental rules in the Town of Bethel are not confirmed. A short-term rental law was drafted in 2023, but whether it was adopted is not confirmed, so treat this as an open question and confirm with the building department before counting on renting a home short term. 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 minimum2–3 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
UtilityNYSEG territory.
Zoning codeecode360.com/BE0597
Building dept(845) 583-4350

ADU FAQ — Bethel, NY

Are ADUs allowed in Bethel, NY?

Town of Bethel has 12 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 583-4350.

Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Bethel?

No. No district in Town of Bethel permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (845) 583-4350 before ruling it out.

Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Bethel?

Short-term-rental status not confirmed for Town of Bethel. 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.

Run the free ADU check for your parcel →

What an ADU costs to build in Bethel

Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $190k–250k 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 Bethel, priced by size.

How we know this

Zoning code: ecode360.com/BE0597
Districts confirmed: 12 of 12 — every mapped district.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-07
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 Bethel: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Sullivan County · All Sullivan County towns

ADU information for Town of Bethel is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-10-07) 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 (845) 583-4350 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.