Clarkstown, NY Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Under Town Code § 109-4B(1), a one-story detached structure used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, or similar accessory building on a one- or two-family lot needs no building permit, provided its gross floor area does not exceed 144 square feet. Anything larger triggers the full building-permit process under § 109-4, including construction documents and a site plan showing lot-line distances, reviewed by the Code Enforcement Officer.

Permit-exempt or not, every accessory building on a single-family or two-family lot outside the R-80 and R-40 Districts is bound by § 290-21B(6): it cannot exceed 12 feet in height, must sit back from every lot line a distance equal to two-thirds of its own height, and the combined footprint of all accessory buildings on the lot cannot exceed 15% of the lot area. Sheds built at the same time may be placed in matching pairs or groups along a shared rear or side lot line; sheds built separately in the R-22 and R-15 Districts must instead sit at least 10 feet off the rear or side line.

Homeowners who want a temporary alternative can place one portable storage container (a "PODS" unit) under § 290-21B(6)(a): capped at 128 square feet and eight feet tall, set back 10 feet from side/rear lines and 15 feet from the dwelling, permitted for 90 days with one 90-day extension available from the Building Inspector, for a total of 180 days, and barred from any required front yard, public right-of-way or easement.