Union, NY Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Chapter 300 of the Town of Union Code is the Consolidated Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Union, Village of Johnson City, and Village of Endicott. Section 300-10.4 applies it to all development within the corporate limits of the Town and both Villages, so the same table governs a lot in Endwell and a lot inside Endicott or Johnson City. Section 300-20.4 and its Table 20-3 cover the residential districts: Urban Multifamily (UMF), Suburban Multifamily (SMF), Urban Single-Family (USF), Suburban Single-Family (SSF), Urban Two-Family (UTF) and Rural Residential (RR). The columns run in that order: UMF, SMF, USF, SSF, UTF, RR.

For a detached single-family house the minimum front setback is 20 feet in UMF, 25 in SMF, 25 in USF, 30 in SSF, 25 in UTF and 35 in RR. The minimum side setback is 5, 5, 5, 6, 5 and 20 feet in the same order, and the minimum rear setback is 25, 25, 25, 25, 25 and 60 feet. The row for all accessory uses prints 5 feet in five districts and 10 feet in RR, and the same 5 and 10 foot figures appear in the rear setback block. The table also carries separate rows for attached, two-family, multifamily and nonresidential uses, with NA where a use type is not offered in a district.

The code defines a setback as the least required horizontal distance between the property line and any structure on the lot, measured at the shortest point and including terraces, porches or any covered projection, but excluding steps. On a corner lot both yards bordering a street count as street setbacks, measured from the public right-of-way. Section 300-53.1 sets the front minimum at the average of the existing buildings within 250 feet when half or more of the street frontage on that side of the block is built up and the average setback is shorter than the district minimum. Section 300-53.4 lets uncovered landings reach five feet into the street setback and eaves, gutters, chimneys and bay windows three feet.