Clay, NY Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max impervious coverage (R-SR)
- 75% of lot
- Applies to
- One-family detached and multifamily dwellings
- Other residential districts
- No percent coverage cap (n/a)
- Minimum project size
- 5 buildable acres, 100 ft frontage
- Governing section
- Town of Clay Code Section 230-13K(5)
- Enforcing agency
- Office of Planning and Development
Summary
The Town of Clay caps impervious lot coverage at 75% only in the R-SR Senior Residence District under Zoning Code Section 230-13K(5), applying to both one-family detached homes and multifamily buildings. The Town's other six residential zones, RA-100, R-40, R-15, R-10, R-7.5 and R-2F, list coverage as 'n/a' in their own dimensional tables, so no percentage lot-coverage cap applies outside R-SR.
R-SR residential lot and structure dimensional requirements. ... (b) One-family detached dwelling (maximum 50% of project area). [1] Lot. [a] Area, minimum: 6,000 square feet. [b] Width, minimum: 70 feet. [c] Depth, minimum: n/a. [d] Coverage (impervious surfaces), maximum: 75%. ... (c) Multiple-family dwelling. [1] Lot. [a] Dwelling units per acre: 15 maximum. [b] Coverage (impervious surfaces), maximum 75%.
Full Breakdown
Zoning Code Section 230-13 sets dimensional standards for each of Clay's seven residential districts, but only Subsection K, the R-SR Senior Residence District added by Local Law No. 1-2010 and amended by L.L. No. 2-2019, regulates lot coverage by percentage. Under Section 230-13K(5)(b), a one-family detached dwelling in R-SR, capped at 50% of the total project area, may not cover more than 75% of its lot with impervious surface, on a lot with a minimum area of 6,000 square feet and 70 feet of minimum width.
Multifamily dwellings in the same district, capped at 15 units per acre under Section 230-13K(5)(c), carry the identical 75% impervious coverage ceiling. Yard minimums differ by building type: 20 feet front, 10 feet side and 20 feet rear for one-family homes, versus 35 feet front, 40 feet side and 40 feet rear for multifamily buildings, each with its own maximum height (20 feet for one-family, 35 feet for multifamily). Every R-SR project must sit on at least five buildable acres with 100 feet of road frontage per Section 230-13K(5)(a), and the district's intent statement requires service by both public water and sewer.
By contrast, the RA-100, R-40, R-15, R-10, R-7.5 and R-2F districts each list 'Coverage, maximum (percent): n/a' in their own dimensional tables, so the Town does not cap coverage by percentage there; only setback, height and lot-area minimums apply. Senior housing developments in R-SR need Planning Board site-plan approval, while home occupations there route through the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Violations & Fines
Building without a permit, or exceeding the R-SR district's 75% impervious coverage cap, is enforced by the Town's Office of Planning and Development and Code Enforcement, which can withhold or revoke a certificate of occupancy. A property owner who wants to exceed the cap must seek an area variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals rather than build first and ask forgiveness; the ZBA may pair variance review with any related special permit application under Section 230-27.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Clay limit lot coverage in regular residential zones?
What is the lot coverage limit in the R-SR Senior Residence District?
Who enforces Clay's lot coverage rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clay
New York rules heatmap·Compare Clay to another location·View the New York building setbacks & zoning overview
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