Monroe County town zoning limits residential heights. Rochester Ch. 120 caps R-1 at 35 feet / 2.5 stories. Pittsford Village 30 feet. Commercial downtown Rochester allows high-rise via form-based code.
Height limits in Monroe County follow town zoning. Rochester Zoning Chapter 120 R-1 districts cap buildings at 35 feet or 2.5 stories, whichever is less. Rochester Downtown Innovation Zone and Center City Special District allow significantly greater heights (towers up to 300+ feet) under form-based code. Brighton, Pittsford, Penfield, Webster R-1: 30 to 35 feet typical. Pittsford Village historic district caps near 30 feet to preserve scale. Chimneys, antennas, and rooftop mechanical equipment exempt up to 10 additional feet in most codes. Height is measured from average finished grade to highest roof point (not including chimneys). ZBA variance required for height exceptions.
Exceeding height: Rochester Ch. 120 stop-work plus $250 to $2,000. Town violations similar. Must reduce or obtain variance; structure may require modification.
Monroe County, NY
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See how Monroe County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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