Last reviewed: October 9, 2026. General information only, not legal or surveying advice. Zoning laws are amended, have footnotes and exceptions, and are interpreted by local officials. Always confirm with the town code enforcement officer before you buy, build, or expand.
How close to Keuka Lake can you build? It depends on which town you’re in, and the answers differ more than most buyers expect. One town measures 15 feet from the high water line, another 25, and one district in Wayne requires 50. Some towns also limit lot coverage, the height of boathouses and garages between the road and the lake, and how many households can share a lakeshore right-of-way.
This guide summarizes the lakeshore zoning rules we found in each town’s current zoning text, explains how setbacks are measured, and points you to the official codes. It’s a starting point for questions, not a substitute for the code officer.
Who regulates what near the shoreline
Several layers of rules can apply to the same lakefront lot:
- Town zoning sets setbacks, lot size, coverage, height, and permitted uses. That’s the focus of this guide.
- The Keuka Lake Uniform Docking and Mooring Law, adopted by the lake municipalities, governs docks, lifts, and moorings. See our dock rules guide.
- KWIC’s uniform wastewater law governs septic systems, including permits for adding bedrooms. See our septic guide.
- State permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation may be needed for work in or near the water. See our shoreline rules guide.
- Flood damage prevention laws apply in mapped flood areas. See our flood zones guide.
- Building and energy codes apply to construction.
Six towns border the lake: Barrington, Jerusalem, and Milo in Yates County, and Pulteney, Urbana, and Wayne in Steuben County. The villages of Penn Yan (at the north end) and Hammondsport (at the south end) have their own zoning, which we haven’t summarized here; contact the village offices.
How lake setbacks are measured
Most towns measure the lake setback from the mean high water line, a defined lake elevation rather than wherever the water happens to be on the day of the survey.
- Jerusalem measures the lakeshore lot line at 715.15 feet above sea level, which its code describes as the mean high water level established by DEC.
- Pulteney defines the mean high water line as 715.15 feet, based on an Army Corps of Engineers report.
- Barrington’s 2024 zoning code says DEC puts the mean high water level at 715.3 feet.
- Wayne refers to the state DEC regulation’s definition of mean high water, and says setbacks are measured from both the mean high water mark and the parcel’s natural ground level, excluding fill.
- Milo says lakeshore zoning districts extend to the mean high water line and don’t include the lake bottom.
Because these definitions differ slightly, a survey showing the mean high water elevation is essential for any project near the lake. See our survey guide.
Also check what counts as the “front” of a lakefront lot. In several towns the code treats the lake side as the front yard for homes between the road and the lake. In others, the road side is the front. That changes which setback number applies to which side of the house. Jerusalem also measures setbacks to the closest point of any structure, including porches, decks, and roof overhangs.
Town-by-town summary
| Town | Lakeshore district | Lake-side setback (as written in the code) | Other yards | Max. coverage | Min. lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrington (Yates) | Lake-Residential (LR), lots with lake frontage | 25 ft to the “front” of the lot, which for homes between East Lake Road and the lake is the lake side | 8 ft side / 8 ft back | 25% | 22,000 sq ft; 60 ft on road and 60 ft on lake |
| Jerusalem (Yates) | Residential-Lakeshore (R1) | May be reduced to 15 ft from the high water line (elevation 715.15) for lots between the highway and the lake | Side yards total 20 ft (10 ft min); rear 30 ft | 20% | 20,000 sq ft; 75 ft wide at building line and lakeshore |
| Milo (Yates) | Lakefront Residential (LRES) | Principal building: 25 ft front (5 ft where the lot adjoins a lake road), 30 ft rear | 10 ft side | 30% | 0.5 acre; 100 ft wide; 150 ft deep |
| Pulteney (Steuben) | District 1 | All structures except boathouses, boat hoists, and docks: 25 ft from the mean high-water line (715.15), with a site elevation of at least 723 ft | Front 25 ft; side 10 ft; rear 25 ft | 40% | 15,000 sq ft; 75 ft wide |
| Urbana (Steuben) | R District, Keuka Lake shoreline lots | Front yard 15 ft; rear yard 20 ft on shoreline lots | Side 10 ft | 25% | 10,000 sq ft; 50 ft wide on shoreline lots |
| Wayne (Steuben) | Lakeshore Residential 1 / 2 / 3 | Principal building: 50 ft (LR1) or 25 ft (LR2, LR3) from the lake, measured from mean high water | Road 25 ft (LR1) or 10 ft (LR2, LR3); side 10 ft (LR1, LR2) or 8 ft (LR3) | 15% / 25% / 35% | 20,000 / 8,500 / 4,250 sq ft |
The table is simplified. Each code has more detail than fits here: accessory-building rules, stair and tram exceptions, footnotes, and special permits.
Notes by town
Barrington
Barrington’s 2024 adopted zoning code (PDF) has a Lake-Residential (LR) district with separate rules for lots with and without lake frontage. For homes between East Lake Road and the lake, the code defines the front yard as the area between the house and the lake. The code allows a lakefront landing of up to 50 square feet at least 4 feet from the mean high waterline, exempts stairways 36 inches wide or less from the stair rules in that subsection, and requires a special permit for trams in the LR district. Any right-of-way or easement to the lakeshore needs at least 60 feet of lake frontage for each dwelling unit served.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem’s R1 Residential-Lakeshore district (§160-30) requires a front yard of 64.75 feet from the center of the road, reducible to 15 feet from the high water line for lots between the highway and the lake. Stairs to the lakeshore may be built within that 15-foot setback, with limits on landings, but the bottom step can’t be below the high water mark. Accessory structures between the highway and the lake are limited to one story or 15 feet, and accessory structures can’t be used for sleeping or living. Minimum dwelling sizes apply (600 square feet for one story). A right-of-way to the lakeshore requires at least 50 feet of lake frontage per dwelling unit served.
Milo
Milo’s zoning law (§350-18 for the district, posted on the town’s ZoningHub site, and standards, §350-20 and following) has a Lakefront Residential (LRES) district. Shoreline structures, exterior stairs, and trams may be located at the mean high water line on lots along Keuka or Seneca Lake unless another authority (such as DEC or the Army Corps) says otherwise, and shoreline structures are also subject to the docking and mooring law. Private garages in the LRES district may be 5 feet from a lake road. The LRES district permits only one principal use per lot, with a narrow exception.
Pulteney
Pulteney’s 2023 zoning regulations (PDF) require all structures in District 1 except boathouses, boat hoists, and docks to be set back 25 feet from the mean high-water line and to have a site elevation of at least 723 feet above sea level. Boathouses and boat hoists beyond the shoreline must stay open-sided. The code limits lakeshore access: an easement or right of access to the lakeshore can serve only a single dwelling (except for drawing water), must be personal to the grantee, and must be recorded.
Urbana
Urbana’s zoning law, Article III (§105-16) sets special dimensions for Keuka Lake shoreline lots in its R district: a 50-foot minimum lot width, a 15-foot front yard, and a 20-foot rear yard. Urbana counts any porch, deck, or carport as part of the building for setback and coverage purposes. One landing and stairway may encroach where steep terrain leaves no conforming way to reach the house, within size limits.
Wayne
Wayne’s Land Use Regulations (2018 version, PDF) have three Lakeshore Residential districts. The lakeward boundary is the mean high water line, and setbacks are measured from both the mean high water mark and natural grade excluding fill. Lake setbacks for principal buildings are 50 feet in LR1 and 25 feet in LR2 and LR3, and accessory buildings have the same lake setbacks. Docks on Keuka are governed by the docking and mooring law rather than these setbacks. The PDF we reviewed is dated 2018; ask the town whether it has been amended since.
Older buildings that don’t meet today’s rules
Many lake cottages predate zoning and sit closer to the water than current setbacks allow. Town codes generally let a lawful nonconforming building remain, but they restrict changes that would increase the nonconformity. Some allow rebuilding in the same footprint after damage within set time limits, and some allow alterations to meet energy or building codes. Rules vary by town; Milo’s are in §350-35 of its zoning law, for example. Before you buy a cottage you plan to expand, ask the code officer what’s allowed. See our seasonal-to-year-round guide.
Variances
If your project can’t meet the code, you can apply to the town’s zoning board of appeals for an area variance. The board weighs the benefit to you against the impact on the neighborhood, including whether there are alternatives and whether the difficulty is self-created. Variances aren’t guaranteed. Expect a public hearing, and plan time for it.
Questions to ask before you buy or build
- Which zoning district is the lot in, and which edition of the code applies?
- Where is the mean high water line on this lot, per a current survey?
- Which side of the lot counts as the front?
- Do existing buildings conform? If not, what changes are allowed?
- What are the coverage and height limits, including for boathouses and garages?
- Are there limits on shared lakeshore access or rights-of-way?
- Will the project also need KWIC, DEC, or docking-law approvals?
Frequently asked questions
How close to Keuka Lake can I build a house?
It depends on the town and district. In the codes we reviewed, lake-side setbacks for principal buildings range from 15 feet (Jerusalem’s reduced setback; Urbana’s shoreline front yard) to 25 feet (Barrington, Pulteney, and Wayne’s LR2 and LR3) to 50 feet (Wayne’s LR1). Confirm with your town.
Where is the setback measured from?
Usually the mean high water line, a defined elevation (715.15 feet in Jerusalem and Pulteney’s codes; 715.3 feet in Barrington’s). Wayne also measures from natural grade excluding fill.
Do docks and boathouses have to meet the house setback?
Usually not the same way. Docks are governed by the docking and mooring law, and several towns have separate rules for boathouses and shoreline structures.
My cottage is closer than the setback allows. Can I keep it?
Generally yes, as a lawful nonconforming structure, but expansions that increase the nonconformity are usually restricted. Ask the code officer.
What about Penn Yan and Hammondsport?
The villages have their own zoning. We haven’t summarized them here, so contact the village code office.
Official sources
- Town of Barrington 2024 zoning code (PDF)
- Town of Jerusalem zoning, R1 district
- Town of Milo zoning, standards
- Town of Pulteney 2023 zoning (PDF)
- Town of Urbana zoning, area and bulk regulations
- Town of Wayne Land Use Regulations (PDF)
Related on Living on Keuka: Shoreline rules · Dock rules · Flood zones · Surveys and boundaries · Lakefront vs. lake access
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