# Sign Regulations in Riga Town, New York

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Riga Town, New York, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Riga Town, New York (NY)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/new-york/riga-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/9622204#9622204)

## At a glance

Riga Town, New York regulates 15 sign types across 2 zoning districts. Wall Sign or Freestanding Sign (Commercial/Industrial Use)s in the Highway Commercial District (HC), LI Light Industrial Park District (LI), GI General Industrial District (GI), RA Rural Agricultural District (RA) zoning district are capped at Freestanding signs: 24 feet tall and 100 square feet (cumulative per lot; per street frontage), with a Freestanding sign must be at least 25 feet from any lot line. setback (Sec. §95-74(F)(1), §95-74(G)(1)). Most commercial signs in Riga Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (2 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 6 feet measured from grade | 40 square feet | — |
| Highway Commercial District (HC), LI Light Industrial Park District (LI), GI General Industrial District (GI), RA Rural Agricultural District (RA) | 6 | Freestanding signs: 24 feet | 100 square feet (cumulative per lot; per street frontage) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address/Name Sign | — | 1.5 square feet (cumulative per lot, principal building or occupancy) | — | — | Not specified | Each lot, principal building or occupancy | — | §95-74(E)(1) |
| Regulatory Use Sign (e.g., 'No Hunting', 'No Trespassing') | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per 100 linear feet of lot line | Lot line | — | §95-74(E)(2) |
| Real Estate For Sale/Rental/Lease Sign | — | 16 square feet per face; 32 square feet cumulative (all faces) | — | — | 1 | On premises | — | §95-74(E)(3) |
| Agricultural Product Sale Sign | — | 16 square feet per face; 32 square feet cumulative (all faces) | — | — | More than one allowed if total sign face area does not exceed 32 sq. ft. | On property where products are sold | — | §95-74(E)(4) |
| Development/Construction Site Sign | — | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 (2 if >5 acres, fronts on two or more streets) | Subdivision, development, or construction site | — | §95-74(E)(5) |
| Traffic Directional Sign (On-site) | — | 1 square foot | — | — | Not specified | Internal drives, parking facilities, loading/unloading areas | — | §95-74(E)(6) |
| Official Government/Public Facility Directional Sign | — | 2 square feet (per sign) | — | — | Not specified | On-site or off-site, as authorized | — | §95-74(E)(7) |
| Temporary Sign (Event or Message) | 6 feet measured from grade | 16 square feet per face; 32 square feet cumulative (all faces) | — | — | 1 per lot (Temporary); Max 20 event signs per event townwide | On any lot | — | §95-74(E)(9) |

### Highway Commercial District (HC), LI Light Industrial Park District (LI), GI General Industrial District (GI), RA Rural Agricultural District (RA)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign or Freestanding Sign (Commercial/Industrial Use) | Freestanding signs: 24 feet | 100 square feet (cumulative per lot; per street frontage) | — | Freestanding sign must be at least 25 feet from any lot line. | 1 per building/occupancy per street | Placed flat against the building (wall) or attached to structurally sound standards (freestanding). One per building or occupancy per street frontage. | — | §95-74(F)(1), §95-74(G)(1) |
| Freestanding Sign (Unit Identification Only) | 24 feet | 100 square feet | — | 25 feet from any lot line | 1 per group/unit | Shopping center, office complex, industrial park or similar group unit | — | §95-74(F)(2) |
| Service Station Canopy Sign (Above Canopy) | Sign may be up to 4 feet above top of pump island canopy, base of sign no more than 1 foot above canopy | — | — | — | Per §95-74(F)(1) (1 per building/occupancy per street) | Mounted above pump island canopies (service stations) | — | §95-74(F)(3)(a) |
| Freestanding Sign (Service Station Additional) | 24 feet | 32 square feet | — | 25 feet from any lot line | 1 per service station | On service station property | — | §95-74(F)(3)(b) |
| Accessory Product/Service/Price Sign (Service Station) | — | 8 square feet cumulative per pump island | — | — | — | Installed at pump islands | — | §95-74(F)(3)(c) |
| Noncommercial/Public Interest Message Sign (Commercial/Industrial Use) | Subject to the maximum allowed | Subject to the maximum area otherwise permitted for the sign type/location | — | — | — | On any sign permitted under Subsection F | — | §95-74(F)(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Riga Town

- Signs (and specifically billboards), as a primary, nonaccessory use, are not a permitted use or special use in any district.
- No commercial sign shall contain information directing attention to any business, product or service not conducted at or available from the premises on which such sign is located, except for certain permitted directional and event signs.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained in such manner as to obstruct the view of any authorized traffic control or directional sign or device, or so as to obscure or obstruct the view of vehicle operators or pedestrians.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained which would, by reason of its position, shape, color, wording content, illumination or location, mislead or confuse any vehicle operator because of similarity, resemblance or proximity to any authorized traffic control or directional sign or device.
- No sign, permanent or temporary, shall be erected or maintained within any public right-of-way, including any sign which overhangs or extends into the public right-of-way, except for public signs and duly licensed vehicles as specified.
- No sign shall be illuminated by or contain any flashing, intermittent, rotating, animated or moving light or any light of varying intensity.
- Any sign illumination must not shine or beam upon any street, highway, sidewalk or adjacent premises or create glare or reflection constituting a traffic hazard or public nuisance.
- Any illuminated or lighted sign shall be illuminated only when its associated use is open for business, unless in certain commercial/industrial zones, and then must not shine on residential properties.
- No sign shall have attached to it any banner, pennant, pinwheel, streamer or other moving, fluttering or revolving device.
- No sign shall extend or project above the uppermost roof line of a building or structure (with limited exception), or, if wall-mounted, beyond the wall extremities. No sign may be painted or displayed on roofs or roof structures/equipment.
- No sign shall be painted or otherwise displayed upon any fence, rock, tree or other natural feature, or upon the surface of any parking lot or driveway, except traffic direction/control signs as otherwise permitted.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to obstruct or interfere with the use of any door, window, fire escape or other means of egress.
- Any sign containing electrical wiring must comply with the National Electrical Code and all electrical components must bear the label of an approved testing agency.
- Every sign must be erected, constructed or installed in conformance with all applicable building and fire prevention codes, rules and regulations.
- Every sign, including structural supports, must be maintained at all times in good repair and in a neat, safe, and structurally sound condition. Display surfaces must be kept neatly painted.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained within 10 feet of any lot line.

## Signs exempt from permit in Riga Town

- Signs not exceeding 1.5 square feet in cumulative area per lot/building/occupancy bearing property or post box numbers and/or occupant names.
- Signs not exceeding two square feet in area regulating use of property (e.g., 'No Hunting,' 'No Trespassing,' 'No Solicitors,' or security/fire protection signs), limited to one for each 100 linear feet of lot line.
- Signs not exceeding 16 square feet in area per face (32 square feet cumulative) advertising the availability for sale, rental or lease of a lot, building, or part thereof; limited to one per lot/building/occupancy.
- Signs not exceeding 16 square feet per face (32 square feet cumulative) advertising sale of agricultural products grown on the property; more than one allowed if total area does not exceed 32 square feet.
- A nonilluminated sign up to 32 square feet for subdivisions, developments, or construction sites (with certain conditions and Planning Board approval).
- Traffic/information signs not exceeding one square foot in area for ingress, egress, circulation, parking/loading.
- Official signs, notices, or direction devices erected/maintained by federal, state, County, or local government/agencies, or off-site identification/directional signs for churches, hospitals, schools, libraries, etc., limited as specified.
- A sign up to 40 square feet for each church, library, community center, hospital or nursing home, public or private school (except business/dancing/trade/technical schools), or cemetery.
- Temporary message/event signs as expressly provided (subject to size, duration, and other limitations).
- Any sign otherwise listed above may also display public interest or other noncommercial message or information not otherwise prohibited by law, within area requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Any sign (except where approved by the Planning Board as part of site plan or subdivision plat review, or unless otherwise exempted) requires a permit before erection, construction, display, enlargement or alteration.
- No permit is required for repair, maintenance, cleaning, or repainting of any sign, or for changing copy or logo or other content as long as there is no structural or design change.
- Applications for sign permits must include a scale drawing of the proposed sign showing dimensions, design, illumination, colors, materials, and structural details, and a survey or plot location map showing placement relative to lot features.
- Signs for subdivisions, developments, or construction sites require approval by the Planning Board as part of the site plan or subdivision review process.
- For new commercial or industrial construction or uses, or expansion of existing commercial or industrial structures or uses, all such traffic direction signage is subject to approval by the Planning Board as part of the site plan review process.
- A sign permit and/or site plan approval is required before the erection, installation or display of any sign, except as otherwise provided in the ordinance.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Riga Town, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Riga+Town+NY&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-riga-town

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