Union, NY Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)

Chapter 300 is the Consolidated Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Union, Village of Johnson City, and Village of Endicott, and § 300-10.4 applies it within the corporate limits of all three. Article 57 is narrower. Section 300-57.1 applies its standards and guidelines to nonresidential development in the Central Business District of the Villages, so they govern the downtowns of Endicott and Johnson City and not the Town of Union outside the Villages of Endicott and Johnson City. Article 56 covers commercial and industrial areas outside of the Central Business Districts.

Building scale (§ 300-57.2): new construction has a maximum setback of zero to five feet from the public right-of-way, with relief for pedestrian amenities such as recessed entries or chamfered corners. It extends to both side property lines, is or appears to be two stories and no greater than three stories, and uses a roof form that reflects the adjacent late 19th or early 20th century buildings. Flat roofs slope to the back and carry a decorative cornice.

Facades (§ 300-57.3): the pedestrian zone, two feet to eight feet above the sidewalk, needs a minimum of 60% clear glass, and opaque or heavily tinted glass is not permitted. At least 25% of the upper-floor facade incorporates transparent glass openings. External security devices such as coiling shutters and accordion gates are barred, and buildings greater than 40 feet in width are designed to look like multiple smaller buildings.

Materials and awnings (§§ 300-57.4, 300-57.5): materials visible from the public right-of-way appear smaller in scale, such as brick or clapboard, and larger-scale materials such as concrete block are limited to the rear of the building. Clear coated aluminum and stainless steel are not permitted unless they already exist. Awnings have a triangular or curved profile and cannot be backlit.

Signs (§ 300-57.6): pole signs are prohibited in the CB District, and detached signs are monument signs no taller than five feet. A perpendicular sign projects no more than five feet, needs nine feet of clearance above the sidewalk and tops out at 16 square feet. Sandwich boards are limited to six square feet per side, come in during nonbusiness hours, and need an insurance policy that covers them.

Drive-throughs (§ 300-57.7): they must be part of a permitted use and sit to the rear of the structure. Stand-alone drive-through facilities are prohibited.