Zoning › New York › Fulton County › Johnstown

Johnstown, NY Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 12 districts · 3 overlays · 5 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
use-type-index
Worth knowing
  • Chapter is numbered §22 (sections §22-101 through §22-1707; numbering is article-prefix × section-within-article)
  • No FAR, no du/ac standards anywhere in code; density controlled solely via minimum lot size, lot coverage (Maximum Lot Development), height, and setbacks
  • Maximum Lot Development includes accessory buildings + porches + patios + decks (open/closed, roofed/unroofed) per §22-902(D)(1)

+ 12 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 4com 3spec 2res_mf 1cbd 1ind 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
SF-1One & Two Family Dwellings — Low Densityres_sf12,000 sf[4]35 ft[5]0.3[6]———30[1] / 10[2] / 30[3]
SF-2One & Two Family Dwellings — Medium Densityres_sf5,000 sf[10]35 ft[11]0.4[12]———25[7] / 5[8] / 25[9]
SF-3One & Two Family Dwellings — High Densityres_sf5,000 sf[16]35 ft[17]0.4[18]———20[13] / 5[14] / 20[15]
MF-1Multi-Family (1, 2 & 3+ Family) — High Densityres_mf5,000 sf[22]35 ft[23]0.4[24]———[{'variant': 'detached SF/2F', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B'}, {'variant': 'apartments/condos/townhouses (MF-1*)', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B note MF-1*', 'note': 'may be increased by Planning Board via Site Plan Review'}][19] / [{'variant': 'detached SF/2F', 'value': 5, 'citation': 'Schedule B'}, {'variant': 'apartments/condos/townhouses (MF-1*)', 'value': 10, 'citation': 'Schedule B note MF-1*'}][20] / [{'variant': 'detached SF/2F', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B'}, {'variant': 'apartments/condos/townhouses (MF-1*)', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B note MF-1*'}][21]
R-PResidential-Professionalcom5,000 sf[28]35 ft[29]0.4[30]———20[25] / 5[26] / 20[27]
MHManufactured Homeres_sf—[34]35 ft[35]0.4[36]———20[31] / 5[32] / 20[33]
C-1Commercial 1com5,000 sf[40]50 ft[41]0.4[42]———30[37] / 5[38] / 30[39]
C-2Commercial 2 — Arterial Commercialcom43,560 sf[46]50 ft[47]0.4[48]———50[43] / 10[44] / 30[45]
C-3Commercial 3 — Central Business Districtcbd—[52]50 ft[53]—[54]———[{'variant': 'C-3* core (Main St between Melcher and Glebe; N. Perry/N. Market/N. William between Main and Green; S. Perry/S. Market/S. William between William and Clinton)', 'value': 0, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3*'}, {'variant': 'C-3** other C-3 properties outside core', 'value': 5, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3**'}][49] / [{'variant': 'C-3* core', 'value': 0, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3*'}, {'variant': 'C-3** outside core', 'value': 5, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3**'}][50] / [{'variant': 'C-3* core', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3*'}, {'variant': 'C-3** outside core', 'value': 20, 'citation': 'Schedule B note C-3**'}][51]
INDUSTRIALIndustrialind87,120 sf[58]50 ft[59]0.5[60]———30[55] / 20[56] / 30[57]
PUBLICPublicspec87,120 sf[64]50 ft[65]0.5[66]———30[61] / 20[62] / 30[63]
RAIL-TRAILRail Trailspec—[70]—[71]—[72]————[67] / —[68] / —[69]

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

POD
Preservation Overlay District
HP
§22-601 through §22-607 (Article VI)

Boundaries shown on official City of Johnstown Zoning Map; properties of special historic/cultural/architectural interest, primarily in or adjacent to the Central Business District

review_authorityCity of Johnstown Planning Board
review_decision_window_days60
vote_requiredmajority of all Planning Board members
actions_requiring_reviewexterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction, or moving a building; material change in exterior appearance, light fixtures, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving; sign installation or replacement; any exterior work requiring a building permit under NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code; demolition or removal of a building
exempt_activitiesrepair/replacement of electrical, plumbing, HVAC not affecting exterior; caulking, weatherstripping, glazing, repainting of windows/frames/sashes; new window jambs not affecting exterior character; gutter/downspout repair/replacement; insulation install where exterior siding/trim not altered; water/gas/storm/sewer line repair/replacement; emergency repairs from casualty; interior renovations not visible from public street
review_basishistoric/cultural/architectural/aesthetic/environmental attributes of building or property
CBZ
Creek Buffer Zone
ENV
Schedule B footnote 1

All lands bordering Cayadutta Creek, Comrie Creek, Hale Creek, Hall Creek, and Mathew Creek located within the City of Johnstown

setback_from_centerline_ft25
structures_prohibited_withinNo buildings or structures shall be constructed, placed or located within 25 ft of the centerline of any listed Creek
applies_to_all_districtsTrue
PDD
Planned Development District
PD
Article VII (§§22-701 et seq.)

Does not exist on Zoning Map until Common Council approves a zoning amendment to create one (site-specific)

creation_mechanismZoning Amendment by Common Council
density_standardsto be determined by Common Council when creating each PDD (Schedule B note PDD***)
intentencourage flexibility and economies of scale in development

State preemptions

NY-EO30-PHCapplies
Qualifying condition
City of Johnstown population 8,196 (Census 2020), upstate (Fulton County, north of Mohawk/Hudson region). Upstate Pathway 1 threshold = 0.33% stock growth / 1 yr or 1% / 3 yr; Pathway 2 = HCR Pro-Housing Resolution + housing plan. PHC certification status not verified against HCR live dashboard in this pass.
Source
NY Executive Order No. 30 (Hochul, 2023-07-18); HCR Pro-Housing Community Program; FY 2025 Enacted Budget appropriations.
Effect
Eligible (if certified) for DRI, NY Forward, Regional Council Capital Fund, NY Main Street, Market NY, MEP transit funding, and ESD Pro-Housing Community Supply Funds. Does not preempt local zoning.
NY-RPL-12D-STRapplies
Qualifying condition
Statewide framework (RPL Art. 12-D §§447-A to 447-G) effective 2024-12-21; county registry and platform verification effective 2025-09-22. Fulton County opt-out status not verified in this pass against county legislature minutes; default assumption: county registry applies unless opted out. State STR sales tax effective 2025-03-01 applies regardless of opt-out. Applicability per-parcel only for STR-use parcels.
Source
NY RPL Article 12-D (Chapter 594 of Laws of 2024; Chapter 99 of Laws of 2025).
Effect
If county has not opted out: STR hosts must register with Fulton County; booking platforms must verify registry. Johnstown retains local zoning authority over STRs.
NY-SEQRAapplies
Qualifying condition
SEQRA (ECL Article 8; 6 NYCRR Part 617) applies statewide to all discretionary 'actions' by state and local agencies. Johnstown's Common Council, Planning Board, and ZBA must complete SEQRA review for rezonings, special permits, site plan approvals, and PDD creation.
Source
NY Environmental Conservation Law Article 8; 6 NYCRR Part 617.
Effect
Procedural overlay on all discretionary land-use approvals. Local zoning substance unchanged; closing the approval requires SEQRA compliance (EAF, Type I/Unlisted -> negative declaration or EIS).
NY-FRESHWATER-WETLANDSapplies
Qualifying condition
ECL Article 24 (as amended by Part TT of Chapter 58 of Laws of 2022; threshold reductions effective 2025-01-01) reduces DEC jurisdictional wetland threshold to 7.4 acres (and any wetland 'of unusual importance'), with 100 ft adjacent area statewide. Cayadutta Creek and tributaries traverse Johnstown and may carry DEC-regulated wetlands; parcel-level mapping not performed in this pass.
Source
ECL Article 24; 6 NYCRR Part 664.
Effect
DEC freshwater wetlands permit required for regulated activity in or within 100 ft of mapped wetland on a Johnstown parcel. Independent of city zoning approval.
NY-MANUFACTURED-HOUSING-NON-EXCLUSIONapplies
Qualifying condition
NY Constitution Art. I substantive due process doctrine (Kurzius v. Upper Brookville, 45 N.Y.2d 840 (1978)) prohibits total citywide exclusion of manufactured homes. Johnstown observes the rule: MH District established (§22-501) for manufactured-home parks, with Manufactured Home use Allowed by Right in MH District and Manufactured Home Parks Allowed by Site Plan Review in MH District (Schedule A).
Source
Kurzius v. Upper Brookville, 45 N.Y.2d 840 (1978); NY DOS Municipal Regulation of Manufactured Housing (Sept 2024).
Effect
Constitutional floor observed; no preemption conflict.
Non-applicable laws (2)
NY-MDL-26-3-NYC-FARdoes_not_apply
Qualifying condition
MDL §26(3) >12.0 FAR unlock pathway is statutorily limited to cities with population >= 1,000,000 (NYC only). Johnstown population 8,196 (Census 2020) << 1,000,000 threshold. General MDL applicability is limited to cities >= 325,000 (Johnstown far below).
Source
NY Multiple Dwelling Law §26(3) as amended by Part Q of Chapter 56 of Laws of 2024.
Effect
No MDL FAR ceiling relief available. MDL habitability standards do not apply as state-law floor in Johnstown.
NY-ADIRONDACK-PARKdoes_not_apply
Qualifying condition
City of Johnstown is in southern Fulton County, well south of the Adirondack Park Blue Line. The APA boundary in Fulton County runs through Northampton/Mayfield/Bleecker; the City (south of NY Route 29) is outside.
Source
NY Executive Law Article 27; APA Park Boundary GIS.
Effect
No APA jurisdiction over Johnstown parcels.

Adopted building codes

Statewide except NYC

IBC
2018
IRC
2024
NEC
2020
IFC
2018
IECC (Residential)
2018
IECC (Commercial)
2018

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Amendment history

DateKindCitation
2011-01-01effectivePDF title page
2010-12-20adoptionPDF title page

Quirks & notes

  • Chapter is numbered §22 (sections §22-101 through §22-1707; numbering is article-prefix × section-within-article)
  • No FAR, no du/ac standards anywhere in code; density controlled solely via minimum lot size, lot coverage (Maximum Lot Development), height, and setbacks
  • Maximum Lot Development includes accessory buildings + porches + patios + decks (open/closed, roofed/unroofed) per §22-902(D)(1)
  • Contextual front-setback rule in SF-1 and SF-2 (Schedule B notes): in established blocks, new building must not project beyond average setback of existing buildings on same side; vacant blocks default to 30 ft minimum
  • C-3 has embedded geographic sub-zones in Schedule B: C-3* (Main Street core with 0/0/20 setbacks) and C-3** (rest of C-3 with 5/5/20). Geographic core defined by named-street segments in Schedule B notes (Main between Melcher and Glebe; N. Perry/N. Market/N. William between Main and Green; S. Perry/S. Market/S. William between William and Clinton)
  • MF-1 has dual setback regime: detached SF/2F uses 5,000 sf base lot with 20/5/20 setbacks; apartment buildings/condos/garden apartments/townhouses use MF-1* 20/10/20 setbacks subject to Planning Board increase via Site Plan Review (Schedule B note MF-1*)
  • Creek Buffer Zone (Schedule B footnote 1): 25 ft from centerline of Cayadutta, Comrie, Hale, Hall, and Mathew Creeks; no buildings or structures within. Applies across all districts as overlay
  • Preservation Overlay District (POD) is the only Article VI overlay; does not modify base dimensional standards; adds Planning Board design review (60-day decision window, majority vote of all members)
  • Manufactured Home use is confined to MH district; constitutional non-exclusion rule (Kurzius 1978) satisfied via dedicated MH district
  • Manufactured Home Park standards live in Article X §22-1001 (separate from Schedule B): 5,000 sf/lot, 50 ft min dimension, 25 ft MH-to-MH, 30 ft MH-to-property-line, 100 ft MH-to-public-ROW (Special Use Permit for closer)
  • Industrial (87,120 sf = 2 ac min) and Public (87,120 sf = 2 ac min) have largest minimum lots; SF-1 second-largest residential at 12,000 sf
  • No PDD exists on the Zoning Map until Common Council adopts one via zoning amendment; PDD density standards negotiated per project
  • Parking standards live in Schedule C (Article XII) organized by use type, not by district — Johnstown does not encode parking ratio per district
  • C-2 (NYS Route 30A arterial commercial) has 1-acre minimum lot and 50 ft front setback — designed to manage Route 30A access spacing
  • No floodplain or freshwater wetland overlay in Chapter 22; floodplain compliance handled via NYS Uniform Code reference in §22-603(A)(d), and DEC freshwater wetlands jurisdiction operates independently of city zoning under ECL Article 24

Formulas

Definitions

height
Maximum building height in feet, measured from grade per §22-902(C)(4).
lot_coverage
Maximum Lot Development — building footprint plus accessory structures, porches, patios, decks (open/closed, roofed/unroofed) as percentage of lot area per §22-902(D)(1).
far
du_ac
impervious_cover
setback_front_ft
Front lot line to nearest building face. For SF-1/SF-2 in established blocks, contextual rule overrides numeric: setback = average of buildings on same side; min 30 ft on vacant blocks (Schedule B notes).
setback_side_ft
Side lot line to nearest building face.
setback_rear_ft
Rear lot line to nearest building face.
parking
Off-street parking minimum spaces per Schedule C (per use type, not per district).

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage
buildable_envelope_sf
(lot_width_ft - 2*setback_side_ft) * (lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft)
max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10
note
No FAR or du/ac standards in Johnstown code. Density controlled via minimum lot size, maximum lot development (coverage), height, and setbacks only. Creek Buffer Zone (25 ft from centerline of Cayadutta/Comrie/Hale/Hall/Mathew Creeks) applies across all districts per Schedule B footnote 1.

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

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Max height
— ft
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Floor area ratio
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Lot coverage
—%
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Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
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Parking
— /unit
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Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Citations
  1. [1] Schedule B
  2. [2] Schedule B
  3. [3] Schedule B
  4. [4] Schedule B
  5. [5] Schedule B
  6. [6] Schedule B — 30% Maximum Lot Development per §22-902(D)(1); includes accessory structures, porches, patios, decks
  7. [7] Schedule B
  8. [8] Schedule B
  9. [9] Schedule B
  10. [10] Schedule B
  11. [11] Schedule B
  12. [12] Schedule B
  13. [13] Schedule B
  14. [14] Schedule B
  15. [15] Schedule B
  16. [16] Schedule B
  17. [17] Schedule B
  18. [18] Schedule B
  19. [19] Schedule B
  20. [20] Schedule B
  21. [21] Schedule B
  22. [22] Schedule B
  23. [23] Schedule B
  24. [24] Schedule B
  25. [25] Schedule B
  26. [26] Schedule B
  27. [27] Schedule B
  28. [28] Schedule B
  29. [29] Schedule B
  30. [30] Schedule B
  31. [31] Schedule B
  32. [32] Schedule B
  33. [33] Schedule B
  34. [34] z Article X §22-1001(E)(2)(b)
  35. [35] Schedule B
  36. [36] Schedule B
  37. [37] Schedule B
  38. [38] Schedule B
  39. [39] Schedule B
  40. [40] Schedule B
  41. [41] Schedule B
  42. [42] Schedule B
  43. [43] Schedule B
  44. [44] Schedule B
  45. [45] Schedule B
  46. [46] Schedule B — 1 acre
  47. [47] Schedule B
  48. [48] Schedule B
  49. [49] Schedule B
  50. [50] Schedule B
  51. [51] Schedule B
  52. [52] n Schedule B
  53. [53] Schedule B
  54. [54] n Schedule B
  55. [55] Schedule B
  56. [56] Schedule B
  57. [57] Schedule B
  58. [58] Schedule B — 2 acres
  59. [59] Schedule B
  60. [60] Schedule B
  61. [61] Schedule B
  62. [62] Schedule B
  63. [63] Schedule B
  64. [64] Schedule B — 2 acres
  65. [65] Schedule B
  66. [66] Schedule B
  67. [67] z Schedule B
  68. [68] z Schedule B
  69. [69] z Schedule B
  70. [70] n Schedule B
  71. [71] n Schedule B
  72. [72] n Schedule B

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedhttps://cityofjohnstown.ny.gov/uploads/8/3/9/2/83922496/zoning-ordinance.pdf (city-hosted PDF, not aggregator)
no aggregator citedpassedScan clean: no zoneomics, steadily, siteplanguide, sitedesignguide, siteplancreator, propwire, zonara, unzoned references
confidence tags full formpassedAll confirmed dimensional fields carry c-prefix citation to Schedule B or §22-xxx
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassedAll 3 overlays (POD, CBZ, PDD) have non-empty params, trigger, and confidence citation (Article VI / Schedule B footnote 1 / Article VII)
preempt section city specificpassed7 NY-level preemptions evaluated with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked (population, region, district presence, parcel-dependence flags). NY not in gate-5 active-preemption state list (CA/TX/FL/OR/WA/CO/MN/MT/UT/AZ/NJ/CT) — substantive evaluation performed anyway

Data quality

85%completeness90 confirmed
Documented gaps
  • MH district min lot size in Schedule B blank; resolved via Article X §22-1001 internal lot-size standard (5,000 sf per home; 50 ft dim)
  • C-3 min lot size and lot coverage blank in Schedule B — interpreted as not_applicable for CBD
  • Rail Trail Schedule B mostly blank — interpreted as not_applicable for trail corridor
  • PDD standards by definition not pre-set
  • Parking ratios not encoded per district (Schedule C is use-keyed) — captured at formulas level

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