Colonie, NY Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Chapter 190 of the Town of Colonie Code (Zoning and Land Use) sets maximum building height for each district as part of the bulk standards in Article VI (Dimensional Requirements and Density Incentives), with the numerical limits in Attachment 2 (Dimensional Table). Two height thresholds are explicitly written into the Town Code: (1) Accessory structures to a single-family or two-family dwelling that take advantage of the rear-yard 5-foot setback must be less than 16 feet in height, and (2) commercial accessory storage buildings, capped at 10,000 square feet of gross floor area and 25 feet maximum building height, must be located at least 50 feet from the zone boundary line of any Single Family Residence or Multifamily Residence District. Beyond zoning, the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code in 19 NYCRR adopts the International Building Code, which adds construction-type and occupancy-based maximum heights and areas; the more restrictive of the local zoning cap and the IBC cap controls. Height variances are heard by the Town of Colonie Zoning Board of Appeals under NY Town Law §267-b using the area-variance balancing test.