Several wealthy Nassau County villages limit oversized house construction through floor area ratio caps, lot coverage rules, and bulk regulations to preserve neighborhood scale; rules vary by village and zone.
Nassau County does not directly regulate residential building bulk; this is handled by each town and village. Wealthy villages including Garden City, Old Westbury, Manhasset, Sands Point, and Great Neck Estates have adopted floor area ratio limits, building height caps, gross floor area definitions including basements, and accessory structure limits to control mansionization. Typical caps range from a 0.30 to 0.40 FAR in single-family zones with maximum building heights of thirty to thirty-five feet. Plans require zoning board approval if exceeding limits. Some villages also regulate massing, attached garages, and impervious surfaces under their bulk schedules.
Construction exceeding FAR or bulk limits without a variance triggers stop-work orders, daily fines up to one thousand dollars, and possible orders to remove offending portions.
Nassau County, NY
Nassau County lot coverage limits typically 20-35 percent for principal building and 25-45 percent total with accessory structures. Impervious coverage limit...
Nassau County, NY
Nassau County height limits vary by village. Single-family residential typically 30-35 ft or 2.5 stories. North Shore villages (Sands Point, Kings Point) oft...
See how Nassau County's anti-mansionization rules stack up against other locations.
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