ADU · Westchester County
Can you build an ADU in Mount Pleasant, NY?
Town of Mount Pleasant has 37 districts. 28 districts prohibit ADUs, 3 allow them with occupancy restrictions. 6 districts have incomplete data - verify with the building department at (914) 742-2305. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Mount Pleasant code says
An accessory apartment is allowed only on one-family residential properties in R-40, R-20 and R-10, by a Planning Board permit issued only to the owner-occupant of the principal dwelling (§ 218-36).
Conditions the code attaches:
- The permit lapses automatically on a change of ownership or when the owner stops living in the principal dwelling; a new owner has ten days from the transfer of title to apply.
- The apartment must be in the principal dwelling, not an accessory building, and the building or converted part must have existed at least 10 years.
- It may be at most 25% of the dwelling's area or 600 sq ft, whichever is less; the Planning Board may waive up to 100 additional sq ft.
- The dwelling must be served by both public sanitary sewer and public water.
- One apartment per one-family lot, and the lot must be no smaller than the district minimum.
- Two off-street parking spaces per unit are required.
What the Mount Pleasant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-Family Residential District | 0.92 ac | 60 / 25 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Planned Residential - Historic Development, Transitional | 6 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Planned Residential Development, Transitional-1 | 3 ac | 70 / 50 / 70 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Planned Residential Development, Transitional | 4 ac | 70 / 50 / 70 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Planned Residential Development, Transitional-5 | 3 ac | 70 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Planned Residential Development, Transitional-6, Quarry/Kensington | — | 30 / 5 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| One-Family Residential District | 0.23 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| One-Family Residential District | 0.46 ac | 50 / 15 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Occupancy restricted |
| Multifamily Residential District | 0.23 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Multifamily Residential District | 0.23 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Planned Residential Development, Transitional-7, Overlook Estates at North Kensico Avenue | 2.4 ac | 30 / 15 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Planned Light Industry District | 10 ac | 100 / 100 / 100 ft | 40 ft | No |
| General Office Building District | 25 ac | 150 / 100 / 100 ft | 65 ft | No |
| Public Utility Office Building District | 20 ac | 150 / 100 / 100 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Research Office Building District | 25 ac | 200 / 100 / 100 ft | 65 ft | No |
| Office Business District | 12 ac | 250 / 100 / 50 ft | 65 ft | No |
| Office Building, Distribution, Limited Fabrication District | 10 ac | 100 / 50 / 50 ft | 40 ft | No |
| General Commercial District | — | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Neighborhood Retail District | — | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Rural Business District | 0.92 ac | 75 / 0 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Office Business Transitional-1 | 1 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Office Park Transitional-2 | 6 ac | 150 / 50 / 80 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Office Park Transitional-3 | 7 ac | 100 / 50 / 80 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Professional Office-Transitional | 1 ac | 70 / 10 / 100 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Thornwood Hamlet District | 0.11 ac | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Valhalla Hamlet District | 0.11 ac | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Light Industry District | — | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Corporate Office Education District | 50 ac | 150 / 100 / 100 ft | 45 ft | No |
| Planned Shopping District | 5 ac | 50 / 25 / 80 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Service-Enriched Senior Housing Floating Zone | 8 ac | 75 / 30 / 75 ft | 65 ft | — |
| Hawthorne Hamlet District | 0.11 ac | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Hawthorne Hamlet - Core Area | 0.11 ac | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | 40 ft | No |
| Multifamily Residential District | 0.23 ac | 30 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Commercial Office Building District | 10 ac | 100 / 100 / 100 ft | 120 ft | — |
| Open Space Resource District | 50 ac | 200 / 100 / 200 ft | 35 ft | — |
| Planned Residential Development Transitional-8, Grande/Cleveland Street | 0.69 ac | 25 / 15 / 20 ft | 35 ft | — |
| OB-Master Plan (MP) District | 55 ac | 0 / 0 / 30 ft | — | — |
One-Family Residential District - The lot must also have a mean width of at least 150 ft, and the 100 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line.
- On a street less than 50 ft wide the front yard is measured from the center line of the street, and 25 ft is added to the required front yard.
- No more than 25% of the required lot area may be land underwater or subject to periodic flooding, § 218-9B(7).
- The minimum floor area is 1,000 sq ft for a one-floor dwelling, or 1,200 sq ft in total for a two-floor dwelling, § 218-17.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- A corner lot needs a front yard on each street, and the owner chooses which of the remaining yards is the rear yard.
- Detached accessory buildings not over 15 ft or one story keep the same distances as the main building.
Planned Residential - Historic Development, Transitional - The lot must also have a mean width of 300 ft and a mean depth of 500 ft, and the 600 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line.
- The basic density may be increased by up to one third where the applicant provides affordable housing and the Town Board finds it serves the purpose of the district, § 218-76G.
- The yards here are the R-10 district's yards.
- Each dwelling unit needs 450 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The Planning Board sets the number of bedrooms per unit, which must average not more than two, with no unit under one or over three bedrooms.
- The parcel is rezoned by the Town Board after the Planning Board approves a conceptual site plan, and the Planning Board then reviews the site plan.
- Accessory buildings have no distance requirement from the main building.
Planned Residential Development, Transitional-1 - A lot here must be at least 3 acres and no more than 5 acres.
- The Planning Board controls the maximum units per acre through the special permit, within a range of 6 to 8.
- The lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
- The basic density may be increased by up to one third where the applicant provides affordable housing and the Town Board finds it serves the purpose of the district, § 218-76G.
- Each dwelling unit needs 450 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The Planning Board sets the number of bedrooms per unit, which must average not more than two, with no unit under one or over three bedrooms.
- Accessory buildings have no distance requirement from the main building and otherwise follow the principal building.
Planned Residential Development, Transitional - A lot here must be at least 4 acres and no more than 6 acres.
- A third story is allowed where it is approved under the district's other provisions.
- The lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
- The basic density may be increased by up to one third where the applicant provides affordable housing and the Town Board finds it serves the purpose of the district, § 218-76G.
- Each dwelling unit needs 450 sq ft of floor area and 2,000 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The Planning Board sets the number of bedrooms per unit, which must average not more than two, with no unit under one or over three bedrooms.
- Accessory buildings have no distance requirement from the main building.
Planned Residential Development, Transitional-5 - A lot here must be at least 3 acres and no more than 7 acres.
- The 50 ft total for the two side yards does not apply where one side yard is bordered by a 90 ft perpetual buffer conservation area.
- The lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
- The basic density may be increased by up to one third where the applicant provides affordable housing and the Town Board finds it serves the purpose of the district, § 218-76G.
- Each dwelling unit needs 450 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The Planning Board sets the number of bedrooms per unit, which must average not more than two, with no unit under one or over three bedrooms.
- Accessory building distances are as approved by the Planning Board.
Planned Residential Development, Transitional-6, Quarry/Kensington - Each dwelling unit needs at least 5,000 sq ft of lot, and the Planning Board may reduce the rear yard by up to 40% for good cause related to mitigating development impact.
- A lot or parcel of 4,500 sq ft or larger held in single ownership when these provisions were adopted may be developed with one single-family dwelling.
- On a corner lot only one front yard need be designated as such by the applicant, with Planning Board approval, and the designated front yard must carry the 30 ft setback.
- Each dwelling unit needs 750 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The basic density may be increased by up to one third where the applicant provides affordable housing and the Town Board finds it serves the purpose of the district, § 218-76G.
- The Planning Board sets the number of bedrooms per unit, which must average not more than two, with no unit under one or over three bedrooms.
- Mean width and mean depth are as per a site plan approved by the Planning Board.
One-Family Residential District - The lot must also have a mean width of at least 75 ft, and the 65 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line.
- A detached accessory building no more than 15 ft or one story must be at least 12 ft from the main building and 5 ft from a side or rear lot line.
- The minimum floor area is 1,000 sq ft for a one-floor dwelling, or 1,200 sq ft in total for a two-floor dwelling.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- The front yard rules of the R-40 district apply here.
- Religious, charitable and eleemosynary institutions are not allowed here.
One-Family Residential District - The lot must also have a mean width of at least 100 ft, and the 85 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line.
- A detached accessory building no more than 15 ft or one story must be at least 15 ft from the main building, 10 ft from a side lot line and 25 ft from the rear lot line.
- The R-40 front yard rules apply, so on a street less than 50 ft wide the front yard is measured from the center line and 25 ft is added.
- A corner lot needs a front yard on each street.
- The minimum floor area is 1,000 sq ft for a one-floor dwelling, or 1,200 sq ft in total for a two-floor dwelling.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
Multifamily Residential District - These figures, the same as R-10's, apply to every permitted use except multifamily dwellings, on a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft. A multifamily dwelling needs at least 2 acres and one dwelling unit for every 3,500 sq ft of site area.
- For a multifamily dwelling the yards are 65 ft in front, 40 ft on one side and 80 ft for the two, and 40 ft in the rear.
- A multifamily site needs 200 ft of width at the front yard setback line and a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
- Multifamily height is 40 ft and 2 1/2 stories, with 20% building coverage.
- A multifamily development needs an average of 750 sq ft of floor area per unit and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space per unit.
- A multifamily development needs site plan approval from the Planning Board, and the R-5A building length and building separation rules apply.
- Two-family dwellings are allowed.
Multifamily Residential District - These figures, the same as R-10's, apply to every permitted use except multifamily dwellings, on a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft. A multifamily dwelling needs at least 10 acres and one dwelling unit for every 5,000 sq ft of site area.
- For a multifamily dwelling the yards are 75 ft in front, 50 ft on one side and 100 ft for the two, and 75 ft in the rear.
- A multifamily site needs 250 ft of width at the front yard setback line and a mean width and mean depth of 300 ft.
- Multifamily height is 40 ft and 2 1/2 stories, with 15% building coverage.
- No multifamily structure may be longer than 180 ft, and no main building of a group may stand closer to another than three times the height of the taller or 75 ft, whichever is greater.
- A multifamily development needs an average of 750 sq ft of floor area per unit and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space per unit.
- A multifamily development needs site plan approval from the Planning Board, § 218-64, and any building housing 10 or more families needs an approved site development plan.
Planned Residential Development, Transitional-7, Overlook Estates at North Kensico Avenue - The area is 2.4 acres with a maximum of 27 dwelling units, and the density may rise to 35 dwelling units where 5 of them are affordable housing.
- The lot must also have a mean width of 25 ft and a mean depth of 240 ft.
- The Planning Board may vary the yard setbacks and building height on site plan approval, but not by more than 60% of a setback, and not above 3 stories or 40 ft.
- At 35 units, where the usable open space cannot be met it falls to 275 sq ft for the first bedroom plus 225 sq ft for each further bedroom, if recreation area equal to 10% of the site is improved.
- Each dwelling unit needs 450 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space on the lot.
- Accessory buildings have no distance requirement from the main building.
- After rezoning, a site plan must be approved by the Planning Board, and any later change needs site plan approval again.
Planned Light Industry District - Every building must be set back at least 300 ft from any R District boundary.
- The site must also have a mean width of 300 ft.
- Only lawful nonresidential uses are permitted.
- Accessory building distances are under Article IV, and detached accessory buildings otherwise follow the main building.
General Office Building District - A building more than one story must be set back a further 25 ft from every property line of the site for each story above the first.
- The Planning Board may approve subdivision of the site into sites of at least 5 acres each, with at least 200 ft of frontage on an official street.
- On such a site the building coverage plus the required parking area may not exceed 45% of the site area, and total building coverage may never exceed 30%.
- The building coverage may rise by 100 sq ft for each parking space placed underground or inside a building.
- Residential use takes the standards of the abutting residence district to a depth of 250 ft, except that where the R-40 standards apply a residential parcel needs at least 80,000 sq ft.
- The 200 ft total for the two side yards may be halved on the interior side yards upon subdivision, § 218-70F.
- Parking areas must be set back at least 50 ft from the property lines of the site, and no commercial vehicle parking area may sit within 150 ft of those lines.
Public Utility Office Building District - The 400 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 400 ft.
- The Planning Board may approve subdivision of the site into sites of at least 5 acres each, with at least 200 ft of frontage on an official street.
- The 200 ft total for the two side yards may be halved on the interior side yards upon subdivision.
- Residential use takes the standards of the abutting residence district to a depth of 250 ft.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,000 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space.
- The distance between any two buildings must be at least twice the height of the taller.
- Parking areas must be set back at least 50 ft from the property lines of the site, and no commercial vehicle parking area may sit within 150 ft of those lines.
Research Office Building District - The 500 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 500 ft.
- The Planning Board may approve subdivision of the site into sites of at least 5 acres each, with at least 200 ft of frontage on an official street.
- The 200 ft total for the two side yards may be halved on the interior side yards upon subdivision.
- Residential use takes the standards of the abutting residence district to a depth of 250 ft.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,000 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space.
- The distance between any two buildings must be at least twice the height of the taller.
- Parking areas must be set back at least 50 ft from the property lines of the site, and no commercial vehicle parking area may sit within 150 ft of those lines.
Office Business District - A hotel is a permitted principal use under its own standards, § 218-72C(3): height not over 90 ft, 15% coverage, a gross floor area ratio of 0.35, 60% impervious area, a 150 ft front yard and 100 ft side yards.
- A hotel needs a parcel of 12 acres or more, or an eight acre hotel site with 400 ft of frontage on a state highway.
- On a parcel over 50 acres the height may reach four stories or 80 ft, § 218-72E(1)(e).
- Laboratories devoted exclusively to research, design and experimentation may instead take the C-RB dimensional standards, and may be built in phases over a period of up to 10 years.
- On site plan review the Planning Board may vary height, yards, floor area, building coverage and parking, but by no more than 60% of the requirement.
- The 500 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 500 ft.
- Residential use takes the standards of the abutting residence district to a depth of 250 ft, except that where the R-40 standards apply a residential parcel needs at least 40,000 sq ft.
Office Building, Distribution, Limited Fabrication District - Where the lot abuts a residential district or an existing residence, the side yard and the rear yard both rise to 100 ft.
- The 60% figure is the cap on building and paved area including roads, and the 30% is the building coverage alone.
- No lot width, mean width or mean depth is required.
- The 200 ft total for two side yards from OB-1 applies on subdivision as halved interior side yards.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,000 sq ft of floor area and 1,200 sq ft of usable open space.
- The distance between any two buildings must be at least twice the height of the taller.
- Parking areas must be set back at least 50 ft from the property lines of the site, and no commercial vehicle parking area may sit within 150 ft of those lines.
General Commercial District - No front yard is required, except that where parking is provided in the front yard the building must be set back at least 50 ft from the street line.
- Where the lot adjoins an R District, or lies within 100 ft of an R District line on the same side of the street and the same block, the front yard of that R District applies.
- No side yard is required, but a side yard that is provided must be at least 4 ft, except where the lot adjoins an R District, in which case that district's side yard applies.
- The total floor area of buildings is capped at 1 1/2 times the area of the lot.
- A dwelling takes the R-10 lot and yard standards, so the lot must be at least 10,000 sq ft.
- Detached accessory buildings must be 12 ft from the main building and 5 ft from the rear lot line.
- The C-NR provisions otherwise apply, including the site plan approval and the 60% limit on any reduction the Planning Board grants.
Neighborhood Retail District - No front yard is required, except that where parking is provided in the front yard the building must be set back at least 50 ft from the street line.
- Where the lot adjoins an R District, or lies within 100 ft of an R District line on the same side of the street and the same block, the front yard of that R District applies.
- No side yard is required, but a side yard that is provided must be at least 4 ft, except where the lot adjoins an R District, in which case that district's side yard applies.
- The total floor area of buildings is capped at the area of the lot.
- A dwelling takes the R-10 lot and yard standards, so the lot must be at least 10,000 sq ft.
- Site plan approval is required, and on approving a site plan that subdivides the initial site the Planning Board may reduce height, yards, floor area and parking by up to 60%.
- A lot that abuts a residential district must be screened on that side with an evergreen strip at least 6 ft high and 5 ft deep.
Rural Business District - The 80 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width of 100 ft and a mean depth of 175 ft.
- No side yard is required, but a side yard that is provided must be at least 4 ft, except where the lot adjoins an R District, in which case that district's side yard applies.
- A dwelling takes the R-20 lot and yard standards, so the lot must be at least 20,000 sq ft.
- A residential home for adults is a special permit use on a lot of at least 36,000 sq ft with 100 ft of width at the setback line, a mean width of 150 ft and a mean depth of 200 ft, § 218-66A.
- That use takes a 75 ft front yard, side yards of at least 20 ft each, a 50 ft rear yard, 30% building coverage, a height of 35 ft or two stories and at least 150 sq ft of floor area per bedroom.
- Detached accessory buildings must be 15 ft from the main building and otherwise follow the main building.
- A lot here that abuts a residential district must be screened on that side.
Office Business Transitional-1 - The 200 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,000 sq ft of floor area and 12,000 sq ft of usable open space.
- The OB-1 provisions apply.
- Accessory buildings have no distance requirement from the main building, sit where the Planning Board approves and may never stand closer to a lot line than the principal use.
- Parking and access drives may be built in front, side and rear yards, but not within 50 ft of an abutting residential district, § 218-76I.
Office Park Transitional-2 - The 400 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width of 300 ft and a mean depth of 600 ft.
- Where the lot abuts a residential district, the side yard rises to 100 ft.
- The 50% figure is the cap on total building plus paving and the 10% is the building coverage alone.
- Each dwelling unit needs 1,000 sq ft of floor area and 12,000 sq ft of usable open space.
- The OB-6 provisions apply.
- Accessory buildings sit where the Planning Board approves and may never stand closer to a lot line than the principal use.
- Parking and access drives may be built in front, side and rear yards, but not within 50 ft of an abutting residential district, § 218-76I.
Office Park Transitional-3 - The 400 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width of 400 ft and a mean depth of 300 ft.
- Where the lot abuts a residential district, the side yard rises to 100 ft.
- The 60% figure is the cap on total building and paved area including roads and the 15% is the building coverage alone.
- The OB-6 provisions apply.
- Accessory buildings sit where the Planning Board approves and may never stand closer to a lot line than the principal use.
- Parking and access drives may be built in front, side and rear yards, but not within 50 ft of an abutting residential district, § 218-76I.
Professional Office-Transitional - The 60 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width of 75 ft and a mean depth of 300 ft.
- The 75% figure is the cap on total building and paved coverage including roads, which the Planning Board may waive, and the 20% is the building coverage alone.
- The R-20 provisions apply, and medical laboratories and related uses are allowed.
- An evergreen landscaping screen is required.
- Accessory buildings sit where the Planning Board approves and may never stand closer to a lot line than the principal use.
- Parking and access drives may be built in front, side and rear yards, but not within 50 ft of an abutting residential district, § 218-76I.
Thornwood Hamlet District, Hawthorne Hamlet District - The standards attach to the building type, not to the district: the figures shown are for the General Commercial Building type, and every building type here takes the same 5,000 sq ft lot and 50 ft lot width.
- A building must occupy at least 75% of the lot width along the primary street and 35% along a side street, and parking must sit behind the building.
- A mixed-use building may cover 80% of the lot with 90% total coverage, and a multifamily building 70% with 75% total coverage.
- A townhouse or detached dwelling takes 30 ft front and rear yards, 10 ft side yards, 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories; coverage is 50% with 65% total for a townhouse and 30% with 40% total for a dwelling.
- Outdoor amenity space per dwelling unit is 250 sq ft for a multifamily building, 300 sq ft for a townhouse and 500 sq ft for a detached dwelling.
- A one-story commercial building takes the same lot, yards and coverage but is limited to one story and 25 ft.
- A civic building takes a 25 ft front yard, 10 ft side yards, a 30 ft rear yard, 50% building coverage, 65% impervious surface and 3 stories or 40 ft.
Valhalla Hamlet District - The standards attach to the building type, not to the district: the figures shown are for the General Commercial Building type, and every building type here takes the same 5,000 sq ft lot and 50 ft lot width.
- On a transitional parcel, one abutting the boundary of a neighboring residential district, the front yard is 30 ft and the side yards total 30 ft with a minimum of 15 ft.
- On such a parcel an interior side yard is 5 ft, building coverage is 50%, the floor area ratio is 0.5 and impervious surface is 55%.
- A building must occupy at least 75% of the lot width along the primary street and 35% along a side street, and parking must sit behind the building.
- A mixed-use building may cover 80% of the lot with 90% total coverage, and a multifamily building 70% with 75% total coverage.
- A townhouse or detached dwelling takes 30 ft front and rear yards, 10 ft side yards, 35 ft and 2 1/2 stories; coverage is 50% with 65% total for a townhouse and 30% with 40% total for a dwelling.
- Outdoor amenity space per dwelling unit is 250 sq ft for a multifamily building, 300 sq ft for a townhouse and 500 sq ft for a detached dwelling.
Light Industry District - A front yard of at least 100 ft is required where a residence district sits directly across a public street from the lot.
- No front yard is otherwise required, except that where parking is provided in the front yard the building must be set back at least 50 ft from the street line.
- Where the lot adjoins an R District, or lies within 100 ft of an R District line on the same side of the street and block, the front yard of that R District applies.
- No side yard is required, but a side yard that is provided must be at least 4 ft, and where the lot adjoins an R District that district's side yard applies.
- No lot area, mean width or mean depth is required, only 15 ft of width at the front yard setback line.
- Detached accessory buildings must be 12 ft from the main building and 5 ft from the rear lot line.
- All business operations and related storage other than the parking of motor vehicles must be conducted entirely within a building.
Corporate Office Education District - The 500 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and mean depth of 500 ft.
- The 10% is the building coverage of the lot area and the 25% is the cap on building plus paving.
- Each dwelling unit needs 300 sq ft of floor area exclusive of common areas and 4,000 sq ft of usable open space.
- The OB-1 provisions apply.
- Detached accessory building distances are under Article IV, and otherwise follow the main building.
Planned Shopping District - The 200 ft width is the width measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width of 300 ft and a mean depth of 250 ft.
- Where the lot abuts a residence district, the side yard rises to 50 ft and the two side yards combined must total at least 100 ft.
- A dwelling here takes the standards of the most restrictive residential use permitted in any abutting district.
- Nonresidential use needs site plan approval by the Planning Board under Article IV.
- Detached accessory buildings must be 25 ft from the main building and otherwise follow the main building.
- A lot here that abuts a residential district must be screened on that side.
Service-Enriched Senior Housing Floating Zone - These standards apply only where the Town Board has rezoned a qualifying property to this floating zone. A qualifying parcel lies in an Office Business or Residential district, holds at least eight contiguous acres and has at least 100 ft of frontage on a state or county road.
- Density is set by 2,000 sq ft of lot area for each independent living, assisted living or memory care unit.
- Each unit needs 100 sq ft of outdoor open space.
- The 65 ft height is measured to the roof deck and excludes mechanical screening.
- Parking is at least one space for every two units, no closer than 25 ft to any property line, with a 10 ft planting strip between the parking and the property line unless the Planning Board waives it.
- A retaining wall must stand 25 ft from the base of the wall, or 6 ft where it abuts single-family homes.
- Site plan review under Article VIII applies.
Hawthorne Hamlet - Core Area - The standards attach to the building type, not to the district: the figures shown are for the General Commercial Building type, and every building type here takes the same 5,000 sq ft lot and 50 ft lot width.
- Townhouses and detached dwellings are not permitted in the Core Area.
- The Town Board may grant a bonus of one story, for a maximum height of four stories, in return for a public benefit such as open space, historic preservation or brownfield remediation.
- A building must occupy at least 75% of the lot width along the primary street and 35% along a side street, and parking must sit behind the building.
- A mixed-use building may cover 80% of the lot with 90% total coverage, and a multifamily building 70% with 75% total coverage.
- A multifamily building must provide 250 sq ft of outdoor amenity space for each dwelling unit.
- A one-story commercial building takes the same lot, yards and coverage but is limited to one story and 25 ft.
Multifamily Residential District - These figures, the same as R-10's, apply to every permitted use except multifamily dwellings, on a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft. A multifamily dwelling needs at least 2 acres and one dwelling unit for every 3,500 sq ft of site area.
- The Town Board may permit an existing public school to be converted to multifamily housing on a lot of at least two acres, at not more than one unit per 3,500 sq ft of gross site area, § 218-67.
- In such a conversion the R-3A standards must be met to the maximum degree existing conditions allow.
- Additional apartments may be created for people 62 or older, or for a young family in which no member is older than 29, up to what the 750 sq ft per unit floor area standard allows.
- Those units must be rented or sold at 75% of fair market rent or 50% of the average price of the unrestricted units, whichever is higher.
- For a multifamily dwelling the yards are 65 ft in front, 40 ft on one side and 80 ft for the two, and 40 ft in the rear, at 40 ft and 2 1/2 stories with 20% coverage.
- A multifamily site needs 200 ft of width at the front yard setback line and a mean width and mean depth of 200 ft.
Commercial Office Building District - No front yard building setback is required for a building or structure that connects or integrates buildings located on the parcel, provided any supporting structure built at ground level stands at least 25 ft back from an existing or future street line.
- One-family dwellings are allowed as provided in Article IV on a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft, with a 40 ft front yard, 10 ft on one side and 30 ft for the two, and a 30 ft rear yard.
- A multifamily dwelling needs a lot of at least 40,000 sq ft, with a 40 ft front yard, 30 ft on one side and 60 ft for the two, a 30 ft rear yard, and 45 ft or three stories at 30% coverage.
- Retail sales and service shopping areas are allowed as part of a site of 100 acres or larger, with 10% building coverage for each area and 20% in the aggregate.
- Such an area takes a 20 ft front yard, side yards of 20 ft and 40 ft for the two, a 20 ft rear yard, and two stories and 35 ft of height.
- No lot width, mean width or mean depth is required.
- The OB-1 special uses and the R-40 other provisions apply.
Open Space Resource District - The 10% total coverage cap counts buildings plus paving together, and the 3% building coverage is measured against the lot area. All development needs site plan approval from the Planning Board.
- The 500 feet of lot width is measured at the front yard setback line, and the lot must also have a mean width and a mean depth of 500 feet.
- New and expanded portions of a building must meet the 35 feet and 2 1/2 stories; an existing structure may be renovated and used at its existing height and number of stories.
- A detached accessory building must stand 20 feet from the main building and otherwise follows the main building, except as § 218-75.1 provides.
- A caretaker or staff residence may not exceed 2,500 square feet of combined floor area.
- A one-story gatehouse of not more than 100 square feet is exempt from the side yard requirement.
Planned Residential Development Transitional-8, Grande/Cleveland Street - A lot here holds at least 30,000 square feet and at most 40,000 square feet, and each dwelling unit needs 4,000 square feet of land unless the schedule's other provisions say otherwise.
- The lot must also have a mean width of 150 feet and a mean depth of 125 feet.
- Height rises to three stories and 40 feet where parking is enclosed within the principal building.
- Each dwelling unit also needs 1,200 square feet of usable open space on the lot.
- Distances for accessory buildings are set by the Planning Board.
- The conceptual site plan, bedroom mix and affordable housing density rules of § 218-76 apply here.
OB-Master Plan (MP) District - A site here is one or more contiguous lots with a combined area of at least 55 acres, bordering a state or county highway, § 218-74.1A(1). Height, building coverage, floor area per dwelling unit and usable open space are fixed by the Master Plan the Planning Board approves.
- Low impact housing units may not be smaller than 540 square feet nor larger than 900 square feet.
- An assisted living residence is a special permit use.
- Parking and loading follow a parking management plan submitted with the Master Plan for Planning Board approval.
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Mount Pleasant
Short-term rentals prohibited for Town of Mount Pleasant. Short-term rentals are prohibited throughout the Town of Mount Pleasant under § 218-20.6 of the Zoning Code, added January 24, 2023 by Local Law No. 1-2023. 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 minimum0.11–8 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityCon Edison territory.
- Zoning codeecode360.com/MO0299
- Building dept(914) 742-2305
ADU FAQ — Mount Pleasant, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Mount Pleasant, NY?
Town of Mount Pleasant has 37 districts. 28 districts prohibit ADUs, 3 allow them with occupancy restrictions. 6 districts have incomplete data - verify with the building department at (914) 742-2305. Check your address with the free ADU checker.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Mount Pleasant?
No district in Town of Mount Pleasant requires a special-use permit for an ADU - 28 districts prohibit ADUs, 3 allow them with occupancy restrictions. Site-plan review or a building permit may still apply.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Mount Pleasant?
Short-term rentals prohibited for Town of Mount Pleasant. 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.
What an ADU costs to build in Mount Pleasant
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $235k–310k 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 Mount Pleasant, priced by size.
How we know this
- Zoning code
- ecode360.com/MO0299
- Districts confirmed
- 31 of 37 — 6 not yet analyzed, so this page does not answer for them.
- Last reviewed
- 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 Mount Pleasant: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · ADU rules across Westchester County · All Westchester County towns
ADU information for Town of Mount Pleasant is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-09-26) 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 (914) 742-2305 before relying on any answer. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.