Fairfax County, VA · Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance
I-5 provides for a wide range of industrial and industrially-oriented business activities, including wholesale and warehouse establishments, subject to performance standards limiting noise, smoke, and glare. Height 75ft. FAR 0.50 (up to 1.0 by Board). Front setback equal to building height (at least 40ft). Landscaped open space min 15%. Min lot 20,000 sq ft. Section 2104.5.
Development standards in I-5
Front setback
At least the greater of the building height and 40 ft “[1] Refer to subsection 5108.5 for provisions that may qualify the setback requirements.” “Front setback, minimum Setback equal to building height; at least 40 feet”
2104
Side setback
No requirement
2104
Rear setback
No requirement
2104
Maximum height
At most 75 ft
2104
Maximum FAR
At most 0.5 “[4] An increase to 1.0 FAR may be permitted by the Board in accordance with subsection 5100.2.E(4).”
2104
Board-approved FAR increase: Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site
2104
Minimum lot size
At least 20,000 sq ft “[2] Lot area and lot width may be modified in accordance with subsection 5100.2.K.”
2104
Minimum lot width
At least 100 ft “[2] Lot area and lot width may be modified in accordance with subsection 5100.2.K.”
2104
Minimum open space
At least 15% “[3] Open space is calculated in accordance with subsection 5100.3.A(3).” “Landscaped open space, minimum [3] 15 percent of gross area”
2104
Each row above is the ordinance’s own rule, written out in words and cited to its section. Where a figure depends on what you build (the kind of building, a conventional or cluster subdivision, an interior or corner lot, or the building’s height), each case is its own line; where it depends on the building height, the cited table says how that height is measured.
Read from Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2026-07-01. We last checked with the publisher on 2026-09-14 and found nothing newer -- a check on that date, not a promise about today.
How complete is this market? Across 239,083 parcels we answer 96.1% of the 6 questions this site is built to answer, each with a source you can check. The rest are shown as “not recorded” rather than filled in — we would rather be short than wrong. A further 13,550 properties inside the county line are zoned by an incorporated town with its own ordinance, not by the county, so this county ordinance does not govern them and they are not counted above or below — which is why we publish this market as Fairfax County (excl. Vienna and Herndon). Look one of those up and we will tell you which town governs it.
Permitted uses in I-5
DependsGeneral Manufacturing Varies Depends: by right, only if the use is a type or location that Sec. 4102.6.L(2) allows here and the use stays within the limits in Sec. 4102.6.L Table 4101.1 lists “Production or Processing” as P in the I-5 column. P = permitted by right; SE = special exception; SP = special permit; A = accessory only; AP = administrative permit (Table 4101.1).
AllowedWarehouse / Distribution Table 4101.1 lists “Warehouse” as P in the I-5 column. P = permitted by right; SE = special exception; SP = special permit; A = accessory only; AP = administrative permit (Table 4101.1).
AllowedWholesale / Supply Table 4101.1 lists “Wholesale Facility” as P in the I-5 column. P = permitted by right; SE = special exception; SP = special permit; A = accessory only; AP = administrative permit (Table 4101.1). THIS ANSWER COVERS MORE THAN ONE USE AND THE ORDINANCE TREATS THEM DIFFERENTLY -- Wholesale Facility: P; Wholesale Facility: P; Warehouse: P. The status shown is the most restrictive of them.
Not AllowedSTR - Short-Term Rentals Table 4101.1 has no entry for “Short-Term Lodging” in the I-5 column. The table's own legend: a blank cell indicates the use cannot be established in that zoning district (Table 4101.1).
Not AllowedResidential Table 4101.1 has no entry for “Dwelling, Multifamily” in the I-5 column. The table's own legend: a blank cell indicates the use cannot be established in that zoning district (Table 4101.1).
DependsRetail Varies Depends: special exception, only if the use is a type or location that Sec. 4102.5.HH allows here and the use stays within the limits in Sec. 4102.5.HH Table 4101.1 lists “Retail Sales, General” as SE in the I-5 column. P = permitted by right; SE = special exception; SP = special permit; A = accessory only; AP = administrative permit (Table 4101.1).
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.