Accessory Structures in Colonie, NY (2026)
4 verified accessory structures rules for Colonie, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Colonie allows only one accessory dwelling unit per lot, and it must attach to the single-family home rather than stand alone. Town Code § 190-22B(2) requires the ADU to meet the same dimensional rules as the main house and provide two of its own off-street parking spaces.
Colonie Limits Accessory Dwelling Units to One Per Lot
Some RestrictionsTown of Colonie Code § 190-22(B)(2)(a) through (c)
Number. There shall only be one accessory dwelling unit per building lot. An accessory dwelling unit shall be attached to the single-family dwelling. ... Compliance with dimensional requirements. An accessory dwelling unit shall comply with the dimensional requirements that apply to the single-family dwelling in the zoning district in which it is located and shall include all finished space as ...
ADU Owner Occupancy
An accessory dwelling unit permit in Colonie can only be held by the owner-occupant of the main house. Town Code § 190-22B(1)(b) requires the applicant to live in the principal dwelling, and the permit is temporary, ending once the owner-occupant no longer meets that condition.
Colonie ADU Permits Require Owner-Occupancy
Significant RestrictionsTown of Colonie Code § 190-22(B)(1)(b)
An accessory dwelling unit shall require a building and zoning permit issued by the Building Department of the Town of Colonie. The applicant for an accessory dwelling unit shall be the owner-occupant of the principal dwelling unit. A permit issued for an accessory dwelling unit is temporary and shall cease when the applicant no longer meets the conditions for such use.
ADU Rental Restrictions
Colonie restricts who can live in an accessory dwelling unit to individuals related to the owner-occupant, by family relationship or its functional equivalent, under Town Code § 190-22B(1)(a). The ADU cannot be rented to the general public or an unrelated tenant.
Colonie ADU Occupants Must Be Owner's Relatives
Significant RestrictionsTown of Colonie Code § 190-22(B)(1)(a)
Accessory dwelling units shall be temporary, and occupancy shall be restricted to individuals related to at least one owner-occupant of the single-family dwelling in which the unit is placed. For the purposes of this section, the relationship between the owner-occupant and the occupant(s) of the accessory unit shall be a lawful family relationship or the functional equivalent thereof.
Shed & Carport Rules
Colonie lets accessory structures like sheds cover up to 40% of a single-family or two-family rear yard, with a five-foot setback from side and rear lot lines for anything under 16 feet tall. A portable storage container up to 160 square feet and 10 feet tall can sit on the same lots for up to six months without a building permit, five feet off every property line.
Colonie Sheds: 40% Rear-Yard Cap, 5-Foot Setback
Some RestrictionsTown of Colonie Code § 190-26B(1)-(2), § 190-26C(6)
B. Accessory structures. (1) Structures accessory to a single-family dwelling or two-family dwelling may occupy up to 40% of the rear yard. (2) Structures accessory to a single-family dwelling or two-family dwelling, located in the rear yard and less than 16 feet in height, may be erected with a five-foot setback from a rear or side lot line. ... (6) One portable storage structure may be placed...
Looking for Albany County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Colonie city rules.
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