Monroe County
Town of Riga, NY: zoning for new construction
The Town of Riga sets a residential minimum of about 1 acres in Rural Residential/Agricultural, one of its 1 zoning district. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Power here is RG&E territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (585) 293-3880 ext. 124 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Riga →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Residential/Agricultural | 1 ac | 60 / 21 / 50 ft | 35 ft | Special permit |
Rural Residential/Agricultural - The side yard is 10% of the minimum required lot width: 21 ft on the one-acre standard and 15 ft on the serviced standard, and it does not grow on an oversized lot. Any side or rear yard that abuts a street is 60 ft.
- With public water and sewer the minimum lot drops to 30,000 sq ft and the width to 150 ft; partial service buys nothing, and the side yard formula gives 15 ft there.
- A two-family residence or duplex is a Planning Board special permit use, with a livable-area minimum of 1,040 sq ft for each residence, so a duplex must deliver 2,080 sq ft in total.
- Height is two storeys or 35 ft, whichever is less, so the storey count can bind before the height does.
- Barns, silos, water towers and other farm buildings are exempt from the height limit if they stand at least 100 ft from every property line, as must any building housing livestock.
- A one-and-a-half-storey house needs 1,400 sq ft with at least 900 sq ft on the first floor, a split-level 1,400 sq ft with 1,000 sq ft, and a two-storey 1,600 sq ft with 800 sq ft (§ 95-25F).
- The front setback is measured from the front lot line (§ 95-25D(4)).
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. The Town of Riga has no local short-term rental law, and that is not the same as permission. Confirm with the Building Inspector before counting on renting a home short term.
Conditions the code attaches:
- The RRA district's uses are a closed list, so a whole-house short-term rental is not authorised by silence.
- A whole-house short-term rental would have to be brought as a special use of similar character, at the Planning Board's discretion.
- The RRA district has no tourist home, bed-and-breakfast or boutique hotel use.
- New York State's 2025 short-term rental registry requires every host to register, regardless of local law.
- Building Inspector: (585) 293-3880 ext. 124.
Good to know
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Riga, Chapter 95 Zoning (§§ 95-1 to 95-78), with § 95-25 as amended through L.L. No. 4-2025, adopted 3-11-2025
- Building dept(585) 293-3880 ext. 124
- Last reviewed2026-08-13
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $4,990 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Riga, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Riga?
Aldo pulls the exact zoning district, setbacks, and build feasibility for any parcel — before you buy. Enter your email to open Aldo and run your free report.
Other Monroe County towns
All Monroe County zoning: Rochester (City) · Brighton · Chili · Clarkson · Gates · Greece · Hamlin · Henrietta · Irondequoit · Mendon · Ogden · Parma · Penfield · Perinton · Pittsford · Rush · Sweden · Webster · Wheatland · East Rochester (Village) · Brockport (Village) · Churchville (Village) · Fairport (Village) · Hilton (Village) · Honeoye Falls (Village) · Pittsford (Village) · Scottsville (Village) · Spencerport (Village) · Webster (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Riga are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-13) and provided for decision-support only - not legal, engineering, or architectural advice. Setback and dimensional standards often carry conditions and exceptions; verify with the building department at (585) 293-3880 ext. 124 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.