Ridgewood, NJ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- R-125 Single-Family Residence
- Base height limit
- 30 feet, 2 1/2 stories
- Maximum with exception
- 35 feet
- Lot width required for exception
- at least 75 feet
- Required roof pitch above 30 ft
- at least 8:12
Summary
Village Code § 190-100E(1) caps residential buildings in the R-125 zone at 30 feet and 2 1/2 stories, but allows up to 35 feet on wider lots that also satisfy side-yard-depth and steep roof-pitch conditions.
E. Bulk and lot regulations. The following conditions and requirements shall be complied with: ... Maximum building height: 30 feet, measured as set forth in § 190-119D, and 2 1/2 stories. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the height of principal buildings shall be permitted to be greater than 30 feet, but not more than 35 feet, when all of the following requirements are met: (a) ... The lot in question has a width, as defined in § 190-3, of at least 75 feet; (b) The height of the building does not exceed 150% of the shallowest side yard depth; and (c) The pitch of any roof greater than 30 feet high is at least 8:12 (eight inches vertical for every 12 inches horizontal).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 190-100E(1), amended by Ordinance No. 3120 on May 14, 2008, sets the base maximum building height in the R-125 Single-Family Residence District at 30 feet, measured under the methodology in § 190-119D, and 2 1/2 stories. The section then carves out a conditional path to a taller building: height can go above 30 feet, up to a hard ceiling of 35 feet, but only if all three listed conditions are met together. First, the lot must be at least 75 feet wide, as width is defined in § 190-3.
Second, the added height cannot exceed 150 percent of the shallowest side yard depth on the lot, tying extra height to how much side yard buffer is actually provided. Third, any roof pitch on the portion of the building above 30 feet must be at least 8:12, meaning eight inches of vertical rise for every 12 inches of horizontal run, a standard aimed at keeping tall roof forms steep rather than boxy. All three conditions must be satisfied simultaneously for the exception to apply; failing any one of them keeps the property capped at the 30-foot, 2 1/2-story base limit.
The same 30-foot/35-foot structure recurs with adjusted lot-width and side-yard figures in the Village's other single-family zones in Article X, but R-125's 75-foot width threshold is specific to this district.
Violations & Fines
Height limits in Article X are enforced by the Zoning Officer under § 190-134C, and no building permit will issue for a structure exceeding the applicable height cap under § 190-97A(1). Construction exceeding 30 feet without meeting all three conditions for the 35-foot exception, or exceeding 35 feet outright, is a violation under § 190-136, subject to Municipal Court action, with relief available only through a height variance from the Board of Adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Ridgewood's R-125 zone?
Do all three conditions have to be met to build up to 35 feet?
How is building height measured in Ridgewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
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