Sullivan County

Town of Rockland, NY: zoning for new construction

5 districts Min residential lot 0.25–5 ac NYSEG

Residential lots in the Town of Rockland run from a 0.25-acre minimum in Moderate- to High-Density Residential District up to 5 acres in Rural Conservation District, across 5 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) 439-5450 before you rely on a figure.

Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Rockland →

Zoning districts

District	Min lot	Setbacks F / S / R	Max height	ADU
Rural Conservation District	5 ac	50 / 50 / 100 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Low-Density Residential District	1 ac	20 / 25 / 40 ft	30 ft	Occupancy restricted
Moderate- to High-Density Residential District	0.25 ac	20 / 15 / 30 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
Neighborhood Business District	0.23 ac	30 / 20 / 30 ft	35 ft	Occupancy restricted
General Business District	—	10 / 5 / 0 ft	40 ft	Occupancy restricted

Rural Conservation District - A lot here needs 5 acres and an average width of 300 feet. A building sits 50 feet back from the front line, 50 feet from each side and 100 feet from the rear, reaches 35 feet, and hard surface may cover 10% of the lot.

Each dwelling unit in a single or two family dwelling needs at least 450 square feet of habitable area, and a lot may hold only one primary dwelling.
A two family dwelling ordinarily requires the equivalent of two minimum sized lots in lot area, because the standards apply to each dwelling unit.
A yard bordering a lake, stream or body of water runs at least 50 feet from the high water mark, and at least 100 feet in a subdivision approved after § 185-15D was adopted.
Private community central water and wastewater systems are prohibited outside an existing municipal or central water or sewer district.
A conservation subdivision is available in this district under § 185-24, and the Planning Board may modify the chapter to accommodate it.
A residential lot needs a front lot line at least 50 feet long, which is frontage rather than the average lot width the schedule asks for.

Low-Density Residential District - A lot here needs 1 acre and an average width of 100 feet. A building sits 20 feet back from the front line, 25 feet from each side and 40 feet from the rear, reaches 30 feet, and hard surface may cover 50% of the lot.

Each dwelling unit in a single or two family dwelling needs at least 450 square feet of habitable area, and a lot may hold only one primary dwelling.
A two family dwelling ordinarily requires the equivalent of two minimum sized lots in lot area, because the standards apply to each dwelling unit.
A yard bordering a lake, stream or body of water runs at least 50 feet from the high water mark, and at least 100 feet in a subdivision approved after § 185-15D was adopted.
Private community central water and wastewater systems are prohibited outside an existing municipal or central water or sewer district.
The district is meant for single-family and two-family dwellings in parts of town without public sewer services.
A residential lot needs a front lot line at least 50 feet long, which is frontage rather than the average lot width the schedule asks for.

Moderate- to High-Density Residential District - A lot here needs 0.25 acres and an average width of 75 feet. A building sits 20 feet back from the front line, 15 feet from each side and 30 feet from the rear, reaches 35 feet, and hard surface may cover 60% of the lot.

Each dwelling unit in a single or two family dwelling needs at least 450 square feet of habitable area, and a lot may hold only one primary dwelling.
A two family dwelling ordinarily requires the equivalent of two minimum sized lots in lot area, because the standards apply to each dwelling unit.
A yard bordering a lake, stream or body of water runs at least 50 feet from the high water mark, and at least 100 feet in a subdivision approved after § 185-15D was adopted.
Private community central water and wastewater systems are prohibited outside an existing municipal or central water or sewer district.
The district is meant for moderate-to-high-density residential development in parts of town with public sewer capacity.
A residential lot needs a front lot line at least 50 feet long, which is frontage rather than the average lot width the schedule asks for.

Neighborhood Business District - A lot here needs 10,000 square feet, which is 0.2296 acres, and an average width of 75 feet. A building sits 30 feet back from the front line, 20 feet from each side and 30 feet from the rear, reaches 35 feet, and hard surface may cover 60% of the lot.

Each dwelling unit in a single or two family dwelling needs at least 450 square feet of habitable area, and a lot may hold only one primary dwelling.
A two family dwelling ordinarily requires the equivalent of two minimum sized lots in lot area, because the standards apply to each dwelling unit.
Single-family, two-family and multifamily dwellings are principal permitted uses here and take the same standards as the commercial ones.
A yard bordering a lake, stream or body of water runs at least 50 feet from the high water mark, and at least 100 feet in a subdivision approved after § 185-15D was adopted.
Private community central water and wastewater systems are prohibited outside an existing municipal or central water or sewer district.

General Business District - The schedule asks for no minimum lot area and no rear yard in this district. An average lot width of 30 feet, a 10 foot front yard and a 5 foot side yard apply, a building reaches 40 feet, and hard surface may cover 90% of the lot.

Each dwelling unit in a single or two family dwelling needs at least 450 square feet of habitable area, and a lot may hold only one primary dwelling.
Single-family, two-family and multifamily dwellings are principal permitted uses here and take the same standards as the business ones.
A two family dwelling ordinarily requires the equivalent of two minimum sized lots in lot area, because the standards apply to each dwelling unit.
A yard bordering a lake, stream or body of water runs at least 50 feet from the high water mark, and at least 100 feet in a subdivision approved after § 185-15D was adopted.
Private community central water and wastewater systems are prohibited outside an existing municipal or central water or sewer district.

Short-term rentals

Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Short term rentals are permitted in all zoning districts where residential dwellings are allowed, under a local law adopted July 6, 2023. Owners must apply at Town Hall and pass a safety inspection.

Conditions the code attaches:

An application has to be submitted at Town Hall before renting short term.
The property is subject to a safety inspection.
Questions on the application and inspection can go to the building department at (845) 439-5450.

Good to know

UtilityNYSEG territory.
Zoning codeTown of Rockland Code, Chapter 185 Zoning, Appendix 1 Schedule of District Regulations (185 Attachment 1).
Building dept(845) 439-5450
Last reviewed2026-10-07

Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $195–$256/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $1,986 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Rockland, or what an ADU costs here.

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