Prince William County, VA · Prince William County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 32)
A-1, Agricultural, Zoning District. The A-1, Agricultural Zoning District is intended to implement the agricultural or estate classification of the Comprehensive Plan. The district is designed to encourage conservation and proper use of large tracts of real property in order to assure available sources of agricultural products, to assure open spaces within reach of concentrations of population, to conserve natural resources, prevent erosion, and protect the environment; and to assure adequate water supplies. The intent is to encourage private land owners to protect these values and thereby create an environment favorable for the continuation farming and other agricultural pursuits; to preserve prime agricultural land, forest land and/or open space; and to reduce the demand for costly public facilities and services that are inconsistent with the character of the rural areas within Prince William County. Description abridged from Sec. 32-301.01 of the Prince William County Zoning Ordinance -- sentences carrying figures are omitted here so this text can never contradict the standards table, which carries a citation on each value. Read that section for the district's own words in full.
| Front setback | Single-family detached, conventional subdivision: At least 35 ft | 32-301.06 |
|---|---|---|
| Other principal uses, conventional subdivision: If the building is one the ordinance lists for a taller height, all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet; otherwise at least 35 ft | 32-300.05 | |
| Single-family detached, cluster subdivision: At least 35 ft | 32-300.41 | |
| Other principal uses, cluster subdivision: If the building is one the ordinance lists for a taller height, all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet; otherwise at least 35 ft | 32-300.05 | |
| Side setback | Single-family detached, conventional subdivision: At least 10 ft if properties of similar size nearby have the smaller setback the ordinance names; otherwise at least 15 ft “4. The minimum side setback shall be 15 feet, except the side setback may be reduced to ten feet when properties of similar acreage within the vicinity have a ten-foot sideyard setback.” | 32-301.06 |
| Other principal uses, conventional subdivision: If the building is one the ordinance lists for a taller height, all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet; otherwise at least 10 ft if properties of similar size nearby have the smaller setback the ordinance names; otherwise at least 15 ft “4. The minimum side setback shall be 15 feet, except the side setback may be reduced to ten feet when properties of similar acreage within the vicinity have a ten-foot sideyard setback.” | 32-300.05 | |
| Cluster subdivision: The ordinance sets no figure for this case | 32-301.05 | |
| Agriculturally-related accessory structure: Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site | 32-301.05 | |
| Rear setback | Single-family detached, conventional subdivision: At least 25 ft | 32-301.06 |
| Other principal uses, conventional subdivision: If the building is one the ordinance lists for a taller height, all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet; otherwise at least 25 ft | 32-300.05 | |
| Cluster subdivision: The ordinance sets no figure for this case | 32-301.05 | |
| Maximum height | Single-family detached: At most 35 ft “2. The maximum building height for a religious institution, barn, silo or other agricultural building, library, hospital, or building owned by a public use shall be 60 feet, provided that all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet.” “3. The height limitations identified in section 32-300.05 shall not apply to structures for secondary uses to bona fide agricultural uses on lots ten acres or greater.” | 32-300.05 |
| Other principal uses: At most 60 ft if the building is one the ordinance lists for a taller height; otherwise at most 35 ft “3. The height limitations identified in section 32-300.05 shall not apply to structures for secondary uses to bona fide agricultural uses on lots ten acres or greater.” “2. The maximum building height for a religious institution, barn, silo or other agricultural building, library, hospital, or building owned by a public use shall be 60 feet, provided that all required yards and setbacks shall be increased one foot for each foot in height the building is constructed over 35 feet.” | 32-300.05 | |
| Religious institution, barn, silo or other agricultural building, library, hospital, or building owned by a public use: Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site | 32-301.05 | |
| Max density | Single-family detached and other principal uses, cluster subdivision: At most 0.1 dwellings per acre (1 divided by 10) | 32-300.41 |
| Conventional subdivision: No density figure is set for a conventional lot. The minimum lot size is ten acres (one acre for a lot created under section 25-6 of the County Code). “Minimum lot size for new lots shall be ten acres, except that for a lot created under the provisions of section 25-6 of the Prince William County Code, the minimum lot size shall be one acre and except as otherwise provided for in section 32-300.40 or Part 301.” | 32-301.05(1) | |
| Minimum lot size | Single-family detached and other principal uses, conventional subdivision: At least 43,560 sq ft if the lot is created under a provision the ordinance names for a smaller lot; otherwise at least 435,600 sq ft “1. Minimum lot size for new lots shall be ten acres, except that for a lot created under the provisions of section 25-6 of the Prince William County Code, the minimum lot size shall be one acre and except as otherwise provided for in section 32-300.40 or Part 301.” | 32-301.05 |
| Single-family detached and other principal uses, cluster subdivision: At least 130,680 sq ft | 32-300.41 | |
| Conventional subdivision, lot created under section 25-6 of the Prince William County Code: Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site | 32-301.05 | |
| Cluster subdivision: Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site | 32-301.05 | |
| Minimum lot width | Single-family detached and other principal uses, conventional subdivision: At least 100 ft | 32-301.05 |
| Cluster subdivision: The ordinance sets no figure for this case | 32-301.05 | |
| Maximum lot coverage | Single-family detached and other principal uses, cluster subdivision: At most 25% | 32-300.41 |
| Conventional subdivision: The ordinance sets no figure for this case | 32-301.05 | |
| Minimum open space | Single-family detached and other principal uses, cluster subdivision: At least 50% | 32-300.42 |
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.
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