The Village of Riverside has updated its Zoning Ordinance regarding accessory buildings, which are buildings that are not attached to a house, such as a freestanding home office or garage.
As more people spend at least a portion of the week working from home, the Village’s codes needed to be updated to allow more flexibility to create dedicated home office spaces. The update allows a homeowner to construct a new accessory building or convert an existing one to a home office. The space could also be used for any other residential activity, such as an art studio or playroom. They can have powder rooms, but they cannot have cooking facilities or kitchens. They cannot be used as sleeping rooms or dwelling units. Only Designated Historic Landmark Coach Houses are allowed to be used as separate residences.
New accessory buildings can be up to 800 square feet, but they must meet lot coverage and impervious surface limits. New accessory buildings can also be slightly taller, but taller buildings must be set back further from adjacent property lines. Residents may download a summary of the standards for accessory buildings. The full Ordinance is also available for review. Residents should review the Village's home-based business zoning requirements if they intend to operate a business from their home or an accessory building.