ADUs are allowed in LincolnTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Lincoln, RI
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
6,837
Owner-occupied
82%
Zoning districts
32
Avg Home Value
$419,042
Median Lot Size
0.42 acres
Avg Income
$107,134
Residential Types:
6,837 housing units
Single Family
76%
2-3 Family
10%
Apts (4+ units)
4%
Other
10%
Zoning Districts:
7,636 parcels · 32 districts
RL-9
20%(1,547)
RA-40
20%(1,519)
RS-20
20%(1,501)
RG-7
16%(1,242)
Other
24%(1,827)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Lincoln, RI?
Lincoln, RI follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.
Eligibility
- –Internal / Attached ADU: By Right
- –Detached ADU: By Right
Interior / Attached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum ADU size: 900 sq ft for studio/1-bedroom and 1,200 sq ft for 2-bedroom, each also limited to 60% of the principal dwelling’s floor area (whichever is less).
Detached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum ADU size is the lesser of: (a) 900 sq ft for studio/one-bedroom or 1,200 sq ft for two-bedroom; and (b) 60% of the principal dwelling’s floor area.
Max Units
- –Single-family: 1 ADU per lot (by right); Multifamily (3+ units): 1 ADU per lot (by right); Duplex: none specified
Owner Occupancy
- –No general owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs.
Parking
- –No minimum stated; maximum is 1 space per ADU bedroom (per-bedroom cap) that overrides the general 2 spaces per unit.
Rental Restrictions
- –Short-term rentals prohibited (30 nights or less).
ADU State Law
What can you build in Rhode Island?
- –On an owner-occupied property as a reasonable accommodation for family members with disabilities;
- –On a lot with a total lot area of twenty thousand square feet (20,000 sq. ft.) or more for which the primary use is residential;
- –Where the proposed ADU is located within the existing footprint of the primary structure or existing accessory attached or detached structure and does not expand the footprint of the structure.
- –Subject to applicable dimensional requirements of the municipality
- –As per §45-24-38 of the RI Zoning Enabling Act, if an existing lot is smaller than the minimum lot size required by zoning, its setback requirements are reduced in proportion to the lot's size, and its maximum lot coverage is increased by the inverse proportion.
- –One ADU per lot
- –No short term rentals
- –Studio or 1 bedroom ADU may be up to 900 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
- –2 bedroom ADU may be up to 1200 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
What's allowed on your lot?
These are the municipality-wide rules. What's allowed on a specific property also depends on state laws, setbacks, floor area ratio, lot coverage, environmental constraints, topography, and other property-specific factors. Search your address on FutureLot to see what's allowed on your property.
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ADU rules in other Rhode Island municipalities
Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.
Providence County