ADU · Sullivan County

Can you build an ADU in Callicoon, NY?

Town of Callicoon has 5 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:

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What the Callicoon code says

There is no accessory dwelling unit. A second unit comes only by converting an existing dwelling to two-family use: by right in CD, where no more than two people may occupy the second unit, by right in SD, and by Planning Board approval in RU, BD and RB.

Conditions the code attaches:

In CD no more than two people may occupy the second unit, and that cap does not apply where two-family dwellings are allowed.
Sewage disposal must be certified by a professional engineer or licensed surveyor as adequate to meet the New York State Sanitary Code.
The structure must not be located in a flood hazard area.
Under § 203-9D, construction on mapped slopes over 15% becomes a conditional use in any district.
On steep slopes, minimum lot area per dwelling unit rises to 3 acres at 16-20%, 4 acres at 21-25% and 5 acres over 25%.
The zoning chapter sets no owner-occupancy requirement and no bar on renting the second unit.

What the Callicoon 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
Conservation District	3 ac	35 / 35 / 35 ft	35 ft	No
Rural District	2 ac	35 / 35 / 35 ft	35 ft	No
Settlement District	1 ac	35 / 35 / 25 ft	30 ft	No
Business District	1 ac	35 / 35 / 25 ft	50 ft	No
Rural Business District	2 ac	35 / 35 / 35 ft	35 ft	No

Conservation District - A home in the CD District needs 3 acres where the slope runs from 0% to 15%, on a lot averaging 200 feet wide, set back 35 feet at the front, 35 feet at each side and 35 feet at the rear, and standing no taller than 35 feet.

Lot coverage is capped at 10,000 square feet, counting buildings, pavement and other impervious surfaces.
Lot frontage is 100 feet, measured as the width of the lot at the building setback line, which is not the lot width measure.
Where the slope is steeper the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 3 acres on a slope of 16% to 20%, 4 acres on 21% to 25% and 5 acres above 25%, and the building becomes a conditional use.
A building is not permitted on a slope exceeding 25% unless off-site sewage and water facilities are provided and special engineering plans are submitted.
Cluster development is a conditional use on a minimum of 10 acres with central water and sewage, and individual building lots may be reduced to 1/2 the area normally required.
A campground needs 20 contiguous acres, and a new intensive livestock operation needs 10 acres with its animal and manure structures 200 feet from property lines.

Rural District - A home in the RU District needs 2 acres where the slope runs from 0% to 15%, on a lot averaging 150 feet wide, set back 35 feet at the front, 35 feet at each side and 35 feet at the rear, and standing no taller than 35 feet.

Lot coverage is capped at 10,000 square feet, counting buildings, pavement and other impervious surfaces, and lot frontage is 75 feet, a different measure from lot width.
Where the slope is steeper the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 3 acres on a slope of 16% to 20%, 4 acres on 21% to 25% and 5 acres above 25%, and the building becomes a conditional use.
Cluster development is a conditional use on a minimum of 10 acres with central water and sewage, and individual building lots may be reduced to 1/2 the area normally required.
A mobile home park is a conditional use on at least 5 contiguous acres, and a lot in it is at least 100 feet wide and 200 feet deep with a minimum area of 20,000 square feet.
Multifamily housing needs central water and sewage and may not exceed the density permitted for single-family housing here or 1.3 dwelling units per acre.
A campground needs 20 contiguous acres, and a new intensive livestock operation needs 10 acres with its animal and manure structures 200 feet from property lines.

Settlement District - A home in the SD District needs 1 acre where the slope runs from 0% to 15%, on a lot averaging 100 feet wide, set back 35 feet at the front, 35 feet at each side and 25 feet at the rear, and standing no taller than 30 feet.

Lot sizes may be reduced by 30% where both central water and central sewage facilities are provided.
Lot coverage is capped at 10,000 square feet, counting buildings, pavement and other impervious surfaces, and lot frontage is 100 feet, a different measure from lot width.
Where the slope is steeper the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 3 acres on a slope of 16% to 20%, 4 acres on 21% to 25% and 5 acres above 25%, and the building becomes a conditional use.
A building is not permitted on a slope exceeding 25% unless off-site sewage and water facilities are provided and special engineering plans are submitted.
Cluster development is a conditional use on a minimum of 10 acres with central water and sewage, and individual building lots may be reduced to 1/2 the area normally required.
Multifamily housing needs central water and sewage and may not exceed the density permitted for single-family housing here or 1.3 dwelling units per acre.

Business District - A home in the BD District needs 1 acre where the slope runs from 0% to 15%, on a lot averaging 100 feet wide, set back 35 feet at the front, 35 feet at each side and 25 feet at the rear, and standing no taller than 50 feet.

Lot sizes may be reduced by 30% where both central water and central sewage facilities are provided.
Lot coverage is capped at 10,000 square feet, counting buildings, pavement and other impervious surfaces, and lot frontage is 50 feet, a different measure from lot width.
Where the slope is steeper the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 3 acres on a slope of 16% to 20%, 4 acres on 21% to 25% and 5 acres above 25%, and the building becomes a conditional use.
A building is not permitted on a slope exceeding 25% unless off-site sewage and water facilities are provided and special engineering plans are submitted.
Cluster development is a conditional use on a minimum of 10 acres with central water and sewage, and individual building lots may be reduced to 1/2 the area normally required.
Multifamily housing needs central water and sewage and may not exceed the density permitted for single-family housing here or 1.3 dwelling units per acre.

Rural Business District - A home in the RB District needs 2 acres where the slope runs from 0% to 15%, on a lot averaging 150 feet wide, set back 35 feet at the front, 35 feet at each side and 35 feet at the rear, and standing no taller than 35 feet.

Lot sizes may be reduced by 30% where both central water and central sewage facilities are provided.
Lot coverage is capped at 10,000 square feet, counting buildings, pavement and other impervious surfaces, and lot frontage is 75 feet, a different measure from lot width.
Where the slope is steeper the minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 3 acres on a slope of 16% to 20%, 4 acres on 21% to 25% and 5 acres above 25%, and the building becomes a conditional use.
Cluster development is a conditional use on a minimum of 10 acres with central water and sewage, and individual building lots may be reduced to 1/2 the area normally required.
A mobile home park is a conditional use on at least 5 contiguous acres, and a lot in it is at least 100 feet wide and 200 feet deep with a minimum area of 20,000 square feet.
A campground needs 20 contiguous acres. Multifamily housing needs central water and sewage and may not exceed the density permitted for single-family housing here or 1.3 dwelling units per acre.

ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Callicoon

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Callicoon. Renting a home short term requires an annual town permit under Chapter 179, Short-Term Residential Rentals. The permit is issued subject to approval by the code enforcement officer, with a safety inspection. 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 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
UtilityNYSEG territory.
Zoning codetownofcallicoon.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CodeofCallicoon2022.pdf
Building dept(845) 482-5390

ADU FAQ — Callicoon, NY

Are ADUs allowed in Callicoon, NY?

Town of Callicoon has 5 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (845) 482-5390.

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

No. No district in Town of Callicoon permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (845) 482-5390 before ruling it out.

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

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules for Town of Callicoon. 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 Callicoon

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 Callicoon, priced by size.

How we know this

Sections analyzed: Ch. 203 § 203-18 Residential conversions; § 203-9B legend; § 203-9D steep slopes; § 203-10B closed list; § 203-28 Accessory uses; Schedule of Use Regulations Attachments 1-3
Districts confirmed: 5 of 5 — 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 Callicoon: 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 Callicoon 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) 482-5390 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.