Ulster County
Town of Saugerties, NY: zoning for new construction
Saugerties runs nine zoning districts, with residential lots starting around half an acre in the denser zones and topping out at 2 acres in Low-Density Residential. If you're thinking about renting, the town tightened up in 2022 - Local Law No. 2 requires an operating permit ($250 to apply) and you also register with Ulster County for occupancy tax. Central Hudson serves the area for power; check the exact district and setbacks with the Building Department at (845) 246-2800.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Saugerties →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-Density Residential (LDR) | 2 ac | 50 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Moderate-Density Residential (MDR) | 1 ac | 30 / 25 / 40 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| High-Density Residential (HDR) | 1 ac | 30 / 25 / 40 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| Residential Hamlet (R-H) | 1 ac | 30 / 25 / 40 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
| General Business (GB) | 0.46 ac | 25 / 15 / 50 ft | 60 ft | As of right |
| Highway Business (HB) | 1 ac | 40 / 20 / 50 ft | 30 ft | As of right |
| Industrial (I) | 2 ac | 40 / 30 / 50 ft | 60 ft | No |
| Office/Light Industrial (OLI) | 2 ac | 40 / 40 / 50 ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| Recreational Business (RB) | 2 ac | 40 / 30 / 50 ft | 35 ft | As of right |
High-Density Residential (HDR) - For a one- or two-family dwelling the minimum lot drops to 20,000 sq ft with central sewer or water, and to 10,000 sq ft with both; on both the minimum width is 80 ft and coverage may reach 25%.
- Multifamily density is set per bedroom: 13,000 sq ft per bedroom with no central utilities, 6,500 with central sewer or water, and 3,250 with both.
- On central sewer and water a multifamily lot drops to one acre and the height rises to 42 ft.
- A multifamily lot with no central utilities is 100,000 sq ft, on a 200 ft width, with 50 ft side and rear yards and no more than 30% coverage.
- For a one- or two-family dwelling with central sewer or water, the yards are 25 ft front, 15 ft side and 30 ft rear, on a 100 ft width, with coverage up to 20%.
- A nonresidential use follows the HB District: a 40 ft front yard, 20 ft side yards, a 30 ft height limit and a 200 ft width, unless another provision of Chapter 245 requires a larger lot.
- The figures shown are for a one- or two-family dwelling with neither central sewer nor central water.
Residential Hamlet (R-H) - For a one- or two-family dwelling the minimum lot drops to 20,000 sq ft with central sewer or water, and to 10,000 sq ft with both; on both the minimum width is 80 ft and coverage may reach 25%.
- Multifamily density is set per bedroom: 13,000 sq ft per bedroom with no central utilities, 6,500 with central sewer or water, and 3,250 with both.
- On central sewer and water a multifamily lot drops to one acre and the height rises to 42 ft.
- A multifamily lot with no central utilities is 100,000 sq ft, on a 200 ft width, with 50 ft side and rear yards and no more than 30% coverage.
- For a one- or two-family dwelling with central sewer or water, the yards are 25 ft front, 15 ft side and 30 ft rear, on a 100 ft width, with coverage up to 20%.
- Residential standards here follow the HDR District and nonresidential ones the GB District, where the minimum lot is 20,000 sq ft, the height limit 60 ft and coverage may reach 35%.
- The figures shown are for a one- or two-family dwelling with neither central sewer nor central water.
General Business (GB) - A one- or two-family dwelling follows the HDR District: at least 1 acre with neither central sewer nor water, 20,000 sq ft with one of them, and 10,000 sq ft with both.
- The figures shown are the nonresidential standard.
- With neither service a house takes a 125 ft width, 30 ft front, 25 ft side and 40 ft rear yards, no more than 15% coverage and 35 ft of height.
- With central sewer or water a house takes a 100 ft width, 25 ft front, 15 ft side and 30 ft rear yards and up to 20% coverage; with both, an 80 ft width.
- Multifamily density is set per bedroom: 13,000 sq ft per bedroom with no central utilities, 6,500 with central sewer or water, and 3,250 with both.
- On central sewer and water a multifamily lot drops to one acre and the height rises to 42 ft.
- A multifamily lot with no central utilities is 100,000 sq ft, on a 200 ft width, with 50 ft side and rear yards and no more than 30% coverage.
Highway Business (HB) - The figures shown also apply to nonresidential uses in the HDR district.
Recreational Business (RB) - Development here is subject to site plan review.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with registration. Renting a home short term needs an operating permit from the town building department, under Local Law No. 2 of 2022, which is Chapter 194 of the code.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The initial application fee is $250.
- An owner also has to register with Ulster County for occupancy tax.
- The building department is on (845) 246-2800.
Good to know
- UtilityCentral Hudson territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Saugerties Code, Chapter 245 (Zoning), § 245-12 Schedule of District Area and Bulk Regulations, amended 7-13-2022 by L.L. No. 3-2022
- Building dept(845) 246-2800
- Last reviewed2026-08-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $206–$270/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $14,288 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Saugerties, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Saugerties?
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Other Ulster County towns
All Ulster County zoning: Kingston (City) · Denning · Esopus · Gardiner · Hardenburgh · Hurley · Lloyd · Marbletown · Marlborough · New Paltz · Olive · Plattekill · Rochester · Rosendale · Shandaken · Shawangunk · Ulster · Wawarsing · Woodstock
Zoning figures for Town of Saugerties are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-16) 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) 246-2800 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.