Sullivan County
Town of Highland, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Highland run from a 2-acre minimum in Residential District up to 3 acres in Residential - Agricultural, across 4 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Power here is NYSEG territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (845) 557-6085 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Highland →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlet-Commercial District | 1 ac | 20 / 20 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential District | 2 ac | 35 / 20 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Residential - Agricultural | 3 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
| Washington Lake Resort District | 3 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
Hamlet-Commercial District - The front yard is 20 feet to the property line, or 45 feet to the centerline of the road where the property line is the centerline. A multiple family dwelling needs a minimum lot of five acres.
- A building must stand at least 100 feet from the high water line of the Delaware River.
- A building must stand at least 50 feet from the high water line of running water or any other body of water, and that applies to accessory structures too.
- An accessory structure of 144 square feet or less and no taller than 15 feet takes a 15 foot rear yard and a 15 foot side yard; a larger or taller one is treated as a principal structure.
- Minimum lot width is 150 feet and minimum lot depth 150 feet.
- The lot area row is headed lot areas per dwelling unit.
Residential District - The front yard is 35 feet to the property line, or 60 feet to the centerline of the road where the property line is the centerline. A multiple family dwelling needs a minimum lot of five acres.
- A building must stand at least 100 feet from the high water line of the Delaware River.
- A building must stand at least 50 feet from the high water line of running water or any other body of water, and that applies to accessory structures too.
- An accessory structure of 144 square feet or less and no taller than 15 feet takes a 15 foot rear yard and a 15 foot side yard; a larger or taller one is treated as a principal structure.
- Minimum lot width is 150 feet and minimum lot depth 150 feet.
- The lot area row is headed lot areas per dwelling unit.
Residential - Agricultural, Washington Lake Resort District - The front yard is 50 feet to the property line, or 75 feet to the centerline of the road where the property line is the centerline. A multiple family dwelling needs a minimum lot of five acres.
- A building must stand at least 100 feet from the high water line of the Delaware River.
- A building must stand at least 50 feet from the high water line of running water or any other body of water, and that applies to accessory structures too.
- An accessory structure of 144 square feet or less and no taller than 15 feet takes a 15 foot rear yard and a 15 foot side yard; a larger or taller one is treated as a principal structure.
- Minimum lot width is 200 feet and minimum lot depth 200 feet.
- The lot area row is headed lot areas per dwelling unit.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Short term renting here is regulated by local law: an annual operating permit is required, and a rental that is not owner occupied also needs site plan and special use approval before it can operate.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The operating permit runs $500 per year.
- A safety and egress plan is required.
- A parking plan and a garbage removal plan are also required.
- Confirm current permit timing and application steps with the building department at (845) 557-6085.
Good to know
- UtilityNYSEG territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Highland Code, Chapter 190 Schedule 1: Area and Bulk Regulations (190 Attachment 2)
- Building dept(845) 557-6085
- Last reviewed2026-10-07
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $195–$256/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $29,448 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Highland, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Highland?
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Other Sullivan County towns
All Sullivan County zoning: Bethel · Callicoon · Cochecton · Delaware · Fallsburg · Forestburgh · Fremont · Liberty · Lumberland · Mamakating · Neversink · Rockland · Thompson · Tusten · Bloomingburg (Village) · Jeffersonville (Village) · Liberty (Village) · Monticello (Village) · Woodridge (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Highland are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-10-07) and provided for decision-support only - not legal, engineering, or architectural advice. Setback and dimensional standards often carry conditions and exceptions; verify with the building department at (845) 557-6085 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.