Definitions
Dimensional standards
Extracted standards
55 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Fencing & walls
- Privacy fence - Minimum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.6 ft
A fence at least six (6) feet in height which does not allow the passage of radiant energy or light for all portions of the fence.
Lighting
- Pedestrian scale lighting - Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.14 ft
Light standards or placements not greater than fourteen (14) feet in height along walkways.
Other
- Airport primary surface extension200 ft
The primary surface for the Stafford Regional Airport runway extends two hundred (200) feet beyond each end of the runway and is one thousand (1,000) feet wide.
- Airport primary surface width1,000 ft
The primary surface for the Stafford Regional Airport runway extends two hundred (200) feet beyond each end of the runway and is one thousand (1,000) feet wide.
- Corner lot - Maximum interior angle110 degrees
A lot or parcel of land abutting two (2) or more streets at their intersection, or upon the same street forming an interior angle of less than one hundred ten (110) degrees.
- Holiday display - Maximum duration90 days
Displays erected on a seasonal basis in observance of religious, national, or state holidays which are not intended to be permanent in nature, of less than ninety (90) days in duration
- Home Business I - Maximum customer visits per day5 visits
No more than five (5) total customer visits are permitted per day.
- Home Business I - Maximum employees0 employees
There shall be no employees other than family members who reside in the principal residence.
- Home Business I - Maximum floor area percentage25 pct
The home business I shall not occupy an area greater than twenty-five (25) percent of the finished floor area of the principal residence.
- Home Business I - Maximum parking vehicles1 vehicles
The home business I may permit the parking of one vehicle associated with the home business I, which is less than thirteen thousand (13,000) pounds and parked off-street.
- Home Business II - AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. building setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.30 ft
Any accessory building or structure associated with the home business II shall not be located within front yard setbacks, and shall be set back at least thirty (30) feet from all property lines.
- Home Business II - Maximum customer visits per day10 visits
No more than ten (10) total customer visits are permitted per day.
- Home Business II - Maximum employees2 employees
No more than two (2) employees shall be permitted to work on the premises at any given time other than the family members who reside in the principal residence.
- Home Business II - Maximum floor area percentage25 pct
The home business II shall not occupy an area greater than twenty-five (25) percent of the finished floor area of the principal residence.
- Home Business II - Maximum parking vehicles2 vehicles
The home business II may permit the parking of two (2) vehicles associated with the home business II, each individually less than thirteen thousand (13,000) pounds and parked off-street.
- Home Business II - Maximum storage area percentage15 pct
Storage areas outside of the primary residence, but within an enclosed accessory building or structure, shall not comprise more than fifteen (15) percent of the total area of the property on which the home business II is located.
- Home OccupationHome occupationA business run from a dwelling, permitted so long as it stays subordinate to living there. - Maximum customer visits0 visits
There shall be no customer visits permitted.
- Home OccupationHome occupationA business run from a dwelling, permitted so long as it stays subordinate to living there. - Maximum employees0 employees
There shall be no employees other than family members who reside in the principal residence.
- Home OccupationHome occupationA business run from a dwelling, permitted so long as it stays subordinate to living there. - Maximum floor area percentage25 pct
The home occupation shall be located within the principal residence and not occupy an area greater than twenty-five (25) percent of the finished floor area of the principal residence.
- Inoperative vehicle - Disassembly days60 days
Any motor vehicle which is not in operating condition, or which for a period of sixty (60) days or longer has been partially or totally disassembled
- Junkyard - Distance from road100 ft
The use of land within one hundred (100) feet of any state road or more than two hundred (200) square feet in any location for the storage, keeping, or abandonment of junk
- Junkyard - Minimum area200 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
The use of land within one hundred (100) feet of any state road or more than two hundred (200) square feet in any location for the storage, keeping, or abandonment of junk
- Low-growing vegetation - Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.24 in
Any form of vegetation that does not grow to a mature height greater than twenty-four (24) inches
- Manufactured homeManufactured homeA dwelling built in a factory to a federal standard and transported to the site. - Minimum area320 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
A structure subject to federal regulation, which is: transportable in one or more sections; and, is eight (8) body feet or more in width and forty (40) body feet or more in length, or is three hundred twenty (320) or more square feet when erected on-site
- Manufactured homeManufactured homeA dwelling built in a factory to a federal standard and transported to the site. - Minimum length40 ft
A structure subject to federal regulation, which is: transportable in one or more sections; and, is eight (8) body feet or more in width and forty (40) body feet or more in length
- Manufactured homeManufactured homeA dwelling built in a factory to a federal standard and transported to the site. - Minimum width8 ft
A structure subject to federal regulation, which is: transportable in one or more sections; and, is eight (8) body feet or more in width and forty (40) body feet or more in length
- Medical office - Maximum other providers2 providers
A room or group of rooms used for a medical, dental, or psychiatric practice offering medical services on an outpatient basis and including a total of not more than the full-time equivalent of two (2) principal health care providers and two (2) other health care providers
- Medical office - Maximum principal providers2 providers
A room or group of rooms used for a medical, dental, or psychiatric practice offering medical services on an outpatient basis and including a total of not more than the full-time equivalent of two (2) principal health care providers and two (2) other health care providers
- Microbrewery - Maximum barrels per year10,000 barrels
A facility that produces and sells no more than ten thousand (10,000) barrels of beer, malt liquor or ale, annually
- Neighborhood center - Maximum area10 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
A concentrated area of no more than ten (10) acres containing up to one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet of low-intensity commercial retail and institutional uses
- Neighborhood center - Maximum building area100,000 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
A concentrated area of no more than ten (10) acres containing up to one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet of low-intensity commercial retail and institutional uses
- Net area - Maximum slope35 pct
The gross area of a site minus all wetlands, floodplains, and slopes greater than thirty-five (35) percent.
- Nightclub - Maximum frequency per month2 times
An establishment, excluding theaters and recreational enterprises, which provides entertainment (including but not limited to, live bands, floor shows, comedians, solo artists, and/or a dance floor for patrons), more than two (2) times per month
- Nightclub - Minimum capacity100 patrons
An establishment, excluding theaters and recreational enterprises, which provides entertainment (including but not limited to, live bands, floor shows, comedians, solo artists, and/or a dance floor for patrons), more than two (2) times per month, stays open after 11:00 p.m., and has a capacity exceeding one hundred (100) patrons.
- Noncommercial KennelKennelBoarding or breeding animals above the number kept as household pets. - Minimum animals6 animals
Any establishment in which six (6) or more canines, felines, or hybrids of either of more than six (6) months of age are kept and maintained by the resident of the property as an accessory use.
- Overnight parking - End hour6 hour
The parking of any operable vehicle during the hours of 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. excluding temporary parking for loading activities.
- Overnight parking - Start hour23 hour
The parking of any operable vehicle during the hours of 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. excluding temporary parking for loading activities.
- Performance guarantee percentage150 pct
A bond, surety, escrow account, cashier's check, or cash deposit approved by the board of supervisors, in an amount specified by the county, equal to one hundred fifty (150) percent of the full cost of improvements
- Principal building - Minimum percentage50 pct
At least fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the buildings in the development shall be defined as principal buildings.
- Rear lot line - Minimum length10 ft
If a rear lot line is less than ten (10) feet in length, or if the lot comes to a point at the rear, the rear lot line shall be deemed to be a ten-foot line parallel to the front lot line
- Resident - Minimum days per year90 days
A person who resides in a dwelling for more than ninety (90) days in a calendar year.
- Residential facility - Maximum residents8 residents
A facility in which no more than eight (8) individuals with mental illness, mental retardation, or developmental disabilities reside
- Retail sale - Maximum private parties per week2 parties
Private sales parties at a residence, not to exceed two (2) per week, and which are not open to the general public, shall not be considered a retail sale.
- Rural Home Business - AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. building setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.30 ft
Any accessory building or structure associated with the rural home business shall not be located within front yard setbacks, and shall be set back at least thirty (30) feet from all property lines.
- Rural Home Business - Maximum accessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. building area4,000 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
The total gross floor area of nonresidential buildings or structures devoted to the rural home business shall not exceed four thousand (4,000) square feet.
- Rural Home Business - Maximum employees3 employees
No more than three (3) employees shall be permitted to work on the premises at any given time other than the family members who reside in the principal residence.
- Rural Home Business - Maximum floor area percentage25 pct
The rural home business shall not occupy an area greater than twenty-five (25) percent of the finished floor area of the principal residence.
- Rural Home Business - Maximum outdoor storage percentage25 pct
Outdoor storage areas shall not comprise more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total area of the property on which the rural home business is located.
- Rural Home Business - Minimum lot areaMinimum lot areaThe smallest parcel on which the district allows anything to be built.3 acresacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.
A nonagricultural business carried on by the occupants of a single-family dwelling, on property at least three (3) acres in size located outside of the county's urban services area
- Rural Home Business - Outdoor storage setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.30 ft
Outdoor storage is permitted, but shall not be located within front yard setbacks and shall be set back at least thirty (30) feet from all property lines.
- Secondary building - Maximum percentage50 pct
No more than fifty (50) percent of the square footage of buildings on the property shall be defined as secondary buildings.
- Shopping center - Minimum establishments6 establishments
A group of more than six (6) commercial retail establishments with a gross floor area greater than or equal to twenty thousand (20,000) square feet
- Shopping center - Minimum gross floor area20,000 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
A group of more than six (6) commercial retail establishments with a gross floor area greater than or equal to twenty thousand (20,000) square feet
- Social services facility - Maximum residents8 residents
A facility in which no more than eight (8) aged, infirm, or disabled persons reside
Signage
- A-frame sign - Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.4 ft
A two-faced sign with supports that are connected at the top and separated at the base, forming an "A" shape not more than four (4) feet high.
From the ordinance
Home business I. An occupation, profession, business, trade, e-commerce, or handicraft, carried on by the occupant of a single-family dwelling as an accessory use...