Amherst, NY Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Section 2-5-2A(1)(h) of the Zoning Ordinance addresses driveways as an exception to the general front-yard setback rules. Subsection (i) states plainly that the parking of vehicles is prohibited in any required front yard except on a paved surface. Subsection (ii) then carves out driveways themselves, allowing them in a required front yard in any district without the setbacks that apply to other vehicle use areas, while requiring a commercial driveway to stay at least 10 feet from an adjacent residential lot line. Subsection (iii) caps how much of the front yard can be paved on smaller residential lots: for parcels with one to four dwelling units, the combined area of the driveway plus any other impermeable surface in the required front yard cannot exceed 50 percent of the space between the front face of the house and the right-of-way line, and any driveway or parking area must be built of concrete, asphalt, or another material approved by the Commissioner of Building.

Gravel, dirt or grass parking in the front yard doesn't satisfy the paved-surface requirement, so a car parked on the lawn or an ungraveled strip is a straightforward violation even if it's within the driveway's footprint.