Bolthole Index

Monroe County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Riga, New York

The Town of Riga, in Monroe County, New York, requires a building permit from its code enforcement officer for most construction1. Riga also has its own zoning chapter with use districts2. Septic permits for private systems come from the Monroe County Department of Public Health, not the town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the town code enforcement officer, with listed exemptions1
Zoning
Town zoning under Chapter 95, with an overlay for floodplains24
Septic
Monroe County Department of Public Health3
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work done under a building permit5
Minimum lot (RRA, no public water or sewer)
One acre and 210 feet of width6
Minimum home size (RRA)
1,200 square feet for a one-story dwelling7
Mobile homes (RRA)
Only on a farm, by special use permit8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Riga Building Department (Code Enforcement)

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Riga

(585) 293-3880 ext 124

building.inspector@townofriga.gov

Septic permits

Monroe County Department of Public Health, Bureau of Public Health Engineering

Permits and construction inspections for private onsite septic systems in Monroe County

585-753-5060

111 Westfall Road, Room 844, Rochester, NY 14620

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Riga means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Riga, New York?

Yes, for most work. The Town of Riga's construction code says no person may start work that needs a building permit without first getting one from the code enforcement officer1. The code covers construction, alteration, demolition and fences1.

Exemptions exist for small above-ground pools, non-pool fences, retaining walls, finish work, listed portable equipment and some repairs1. State rules also let a local code program exempt one-story sheds and playhouses up to 144 square feet, but work that is exempt from a permit must still meet the state code9. Ask the town which of those exemptions it has adopted before you build a shed.

A permit lapses if work does not start within six months and expires 18 months after it is issued1. When the work is done, a certificate of occupancy is required for anything built under a building permit5.

Who issues building permits in Riga, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Riga's Building Department, run by the code enforcement officer, issues building permits inside the town1. The department's page lists an office phone of (585) 293-3880 ext 124 and the email building.inspector@townofriga.gov10.

Applications are made in writing on a form the code enforcement officer provides or accepts11. Expect to submit two sets of construction documents and a site plan that shows the well and septic locations, and to pay a fee when you apply11. The fee schedule is set by the town board; we could not confirm the amounts, so ask the Building Department.

The Village of Churchville sits inside the town and runs its own offices; if your parcel is in the village, confirm with the Building Department which office handles your address.

Does the Town of Riga have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

The Town of Riga zones its own land under Chapter 95, and Monroe County does not zone for the town212. Districts include floodway, floodplain overlay, environmental overlay, rural residential/agricultural (RRA), highway commercial, industrial and mobile home park districts4.

In the RRA district, a lot with no public water or sewer, or only one of them, needs at least one acre and 210 feet of width6. Front setback is at least 60 feet, and rear setback is at least 50 feet, or 60 feet where the rear yard abuts a street13. Maximum height is two stories or 35 feet, whichever is less14.

A one-story dwelling in RRA must be at least 1,200 square feet; a two-story dwelling must be at least 1,600 square feet7. Other districts have their own numbers; the town's zoning map is on the town website.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Riga?

Monroe County, not the town, handles septic. The Monroe County Department of Public Health administers the onsite wastewater program under the county sanitary code3. Constructing, altering, repairing or extending a private sewage system requires a permit from the county's permit-issuing official15.

A county health representative must inspect the installation before it is backfilled, and the county says inspections are completed within 48 hours of request16. Where a public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, the county code bars building a private system17.

Only about 11.4% of soils in Monroe County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so plan on a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18. We could not confirm whether the Town of Riga adds its own septic rules; ask the Building Department when you apply.

Can you live in an RV, mobile home or tiny home in the Town of Riga?

We could not confirm the town's rule for living in an RV or camping on a lot; ask the Building Department before you move one onto land.

Mobile homes are tightly limited. In the RRA district, one mobile home is allowed only on a farm, occupied by the farm family or full-time farm employees, and it needs a special use permit from the planning board8. A separate mobile home park district requires a town board permit8.

We found no tiny-home provision, and the RRA minimum dwelling sizes apply to dwellings generally7. A house under those minimums would need a zoning variance from the town. In-law apartments in RRA are a special permit use with planning board conditions19.

Building a home in the Town of Riga: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's district and any floodplain overlay on the town zoning map; residential uses are strictly prohibited in the floodway district20.
  2. Ask the Monroe County Department of Public Health about a septic permit and site evaluation15.
  3. Apply to the town for a building permit with two sets of construction documents and a site plan showing well and septic11.
  4. If the land is being divided, check Chapter 81 on subdivision and the county sanitary code's subdivision approval2122.
  5. Keep work exposed until the code enforcement officer inspects it, including footing, framing and final inspections23.
  6. Get a certificate of occupancy before you move in5.

What stays with Monroe County, and what to check before you buy in Riga

For land outside the Town of Riga, see the Monroe County page. Inside Riga, septic permits, plan review of septic systems and the sanitary code's subdivision approval come from Monroe County322. Driveways that connect to a county road need a permit from the county Highway Permits Section24.

Check whether the lot touches the floodplain overlay, which requires planning board site plan approval and a development permit under Chapter 5120. County-level figures: Monroe County's effective property tax rate is 2.8%25, and farmland averages about $4,622 an acre26.

Watch-outs

  • Exemptions from the building permit are listed in section 35-4b of the town code, so confirm a shed, fence or deck with the Building Department before you skip a permit1.
  • We could not confirm the town's rules on RVs, camping, well permits, driveway permits or building permit fees; call the Building Department at (585) 293-3880 ext 12410.
  • No owner-builder exemption from the town building permit was found, so plan to apply even if you build your own home1.

Sources

  1. Chapter 35: Construction Codes, Uniform - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 35: Construction Codes, Uniform - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  9. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Riga Building Department (Code Enforcement) (townofriga.com)
  11. Chapter 35: Construction Codes, Uniform - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  12. Plan Forward: Why Plan?, quoted and re-checked
  13. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  14. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  15. Monroe County Sanitary Code, Article IIA, Private Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Monroe County Sanitary Code, Article II-A, Private Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  20. Article V: Use Districts (Zones) - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  21. Table of Contents - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  22. Planning Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  23. Chapter 35: Construction Codes, Uniform - Town of Riga, NY (Town of Riga), quoted and re-checked
  24. Monroe County, NY - Highway and Bridge Engineering, quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Riga

Town of Riga’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, demolition and fences inside Riga town

    • Exemptions in § 35-4b include small above-ground pools, non-pool fences, retaining walls, finish work, listed portable equipment and some repairs
    • Permit invalid if work not commenced within six months; expires 18 months after issuance
    “no person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit from the code enforcement officer.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All buildings inside Riga town

    • Adopted 12-28-2006 by L.L. No. 6-2006 per chapter history
    “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code) and the state energy conservation construction code (the energy code) in this town.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Riga town

    • Inspections include footing and foundation, framing, rough-in, energy code compliance and a final inspection
    • Fee payable prior to or at each inspection
    “work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the code enforcement officer or by an inspector authorized by the code enforcement officer.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work under a building permit and changes of use inside Riga town

    • Issued if work complies with the uniform code and energy code
    • Temporary certificates are provided for in § 35-7d
    “a certificate of occupancy shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures or buildings, or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Riga town under Chapter 95 Zoning

    • Overlay and floodway districts add restrictions
    “the boundaries of the fpo district are delineated more specifically on the zoning map, which is part of this chapter”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Use districts inside Riga town

    • Districts: FW, FPO, EPO, RRA, HC, LI, GI, PRD, MHP
    • Zoning map is part of the chapter
    “§ 95-22 fw floodway district. § 95-23 fpo floodplain overlay district. § 95-24 epo environmental protection overlay district § 95-25 rra rural residential/agricultural district. § 95-26 hc highway commercial district.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    RRA Rural Residential/Agricultural district, inside Riga town

    • Two-family residences: 1,040 sq ft per residence
    • Measured on exterior of main foundation walls excluding garage, porches, basements

    one-story dwelling: >= 1200 sq ft · one-and-one-half-story dwelling: >= 1400 sq ft (not less than 900 sq ft on first floor) · two-story dwelling: >= 1600 sq ft (not less than 800 sq ft on first floor)

    “(a) one-story dwelling: 1,200 square feet. (b) one-and-one-half-story dwellings: a total of 1,400 square feet, with not less than 900 square feet on the first floor.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    RRA Rural Residential/Agricultural district, inside Riga town

    • Lot frontage per § 95-71a
    • Reduced size applies only with public water and sewer

    minimum lot area, no public water or sewer or only one: >= 1 acre · minimum lot width, no public water or sewer or only one: >= 210 ft · minimum lot area with public water and sewer: >= 30000 sq ft · minimum lot width with public water and sewer: >= 150 ft

    “(1) no public water or sewer or with either public water or sewer. (a) the minimum lot area shall be one acre. (b) the minimum lot width shall be 210 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    RRA Rural Residential/Agricultural district, inside Riga town

    • Side yard abutting a street: 60 feet
    • Buildings housing livestock or noxious activity at least 100 feet from any lot line

    front setback: >= 60 ft · rear setback: >= 50 ft (60 ft when rear yard abuts a street) · side setback: >= 10% of minimum required lot width at building line (60 ft when side yard abuts a street)

    “(4) the minimum front setback shall be 60 feet, measured from the front lot line. (5) the minimum rear yard setback shall be 50 feet from the lot line, except when a rear yard abuts a street, then the minimum setback shall be 60 feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    RRA Rural Residential/Agricultural district, inside Riga town

    • Does not apply to barns, silos, water towers or farm buildings at least 100 feet from every property line
    • Exceptions in § 95-61 also apply

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft (or two stories, whichever is lesser)

    “the maximum building height shall be two stories or 35 feet, whichever is the lesser”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes in the RRA district inside Riga town

    • Special use permit from planning board
    • Only on a farm, occupied by farm family or full-time farm employees
    • Subject to Chapter 62 mobile home parks; separate MHP district requires town board permit
    “one mobile home when located on a farm and occupied by members of the farm family or by persons employed full-time on the premises and their families.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    In-law apartments in the RRA district inside Riga town

    • Special permit use authorized under Article VII with planning board conditions
    “(13) two-family residences and in-law apartments.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Riga town under Chapter 81

    • Chapter text not opened
    “chapter 81 subdivision of land (§ 81-1 &ndash; § 81-47)”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Land in the FPO floodplain overlay district inside Riga town

    • Planning board site plan approval and development permit under Chapter 51
    • Residential uses strictly prohibited in the FW floodway district
    “such approval shall be applied for at the same time that application for a development permit is made under chapter 51, flood damage prevention”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Riga town

    • Two sets of construction documents and site plan showing well and septic location
    • Fee due at application
    “applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the code enforcement officer.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Riga or Monroe County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Riga town
  • Lot coverage — Inside Riga town
  • Living in an RV — Inside Riga town
  • Camping on your land — Inside Riga town
  • Tiny homes — Inside Riga town
10 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Riga publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Monroe County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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