Prince William County Unincorporated
Zoning districts
16 districts, grouped by category.
Commercial
3General Business District
- Max height
- 45 ft
- Front setback
- 20 ft
- Permitted uses
- 65
Neighborhood Business District
- Max height
- 45 ft
- Front setback
- 20 ft
- Permitted uses
- 50
Convenience Retail District
- Max height
- 35 ft
- Front setback
- 55 ft
- Permitted uses
- 26
Industrial
2Residential
8R-16 Suburban Residential District
- Max density
- 16 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 5
Residential District
- Min lot
- 15,000 sq ft (0.34 ac)
- Front setback
- 30 ft
- Permitted uses
- 1
R-30 Urban Residential District
- Max density
- 30 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 4
R-4 District
- Min lot
- 10,000 sq ft
- Front setback
- 30 ft
- Max density
- 4 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 4
R-6 District
- Max density
- 6 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 4
Semi-Rural Residential District
- Min lot
- 43,560 sq ft (1 ac)
- Front setback
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 1 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 6
Semi-Rural Residential District
- Min lot
- 130,680 sq ft (3 ac)
- Front setback
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 0.33 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 6
Semi-Rural Residential District
- Min lot
- 217,800 sq ft (5 ac)
- Front setback
- 50 ft
- Max density
- 0.2 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 6
General provisions
581 rules that bind every district rather than one — sign regulations, parking, floodplain and the rest of the code’s citywide chapters.
The noncommercial keeping or breeding of exotic birds and miniature animals (other than dogs) shall be permitted in the A and SRR districts; provided that no retail sales shall be permitted except by Special Use Permit; no signs or customers relating to such activities shall be permitted on the premises; ancillary shipping shall be permitted; and no outside facilities or structures relating to such activities shall be permitted.
The noncommercial keeping or breeding of exotic birds and miniature animals (other than dogs) shall be permitted in the A and SRR districts; provided that no retail sales shall be permitted except by Special Use Permit; no signs or customers relating to such activities shall be permitted on the premises; ancillary shipping shall be permitted; and no outside facilities or structures relating to such activities shall be permitted.
A noncommercial kennel shall be permitted in the A-1, Agricultural, SR-5 zoning districts, provided that no more than eight dogs may be kept in the kennel. A noncommercial kennel for more than eight dogs shall be permitted in such zoning districts upon approval of a Special Use Permit.
A noncommercial kennel, as defined by this chapter; shall be permitted as an accessory use as follows: (a) A noncommercial kennel shall be permitted in the A-1, Agricultural, SR-5 zoning districts, provided that no more than eight dogs may be kept in the kennel. A noncommercial kennel for more than eight dogs shall be permitted in such zoning districts upon approval of a Special Use Permit.
Accessory buildings, antennas and their supporting structures, and in-ground swimming pools shall be allowed only in the rear and side yards. ... The maximum coverage for all accessory buildings on a lot shall be 25 percent of the yard in which the accessory buildings, or any portion thereof, is located. ... The aggregate gross floor area of all accessory buildings on a lot shall not exceed 30 percent of the gross floor area of the principal building, provided that every lot of record with a principal building shall be entitled to an aggregate of 576 square feet of gross floor area for all accessory buildings. ... Accessory structures in the rear yard, including aboveground pools and antennas and their supporting structure which are less than 20 feet in height, shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the rear and side property lines, and in the case of a corner lot a minimum of 20 feet from the side property line adjacent to the side street. ... Accessory buildings shall not exceed a height of 18 feet.
In the A-1, SR-5, SR-3, SR-1, R-2, R-4, RPC, PMD and PMR (other than areas of single-family attached dwellings) zoning districts, accessory structures, antennas and their supporting structures, and in-ground swimming pools on lots greater than three acres shall be subject to the required yards, setbacks and lot coverage of the zoning district in which they are located, except as provided for in section 32-301.06.2. Accessory structures on lots of three acres or less shall be subject to the following requirements: (1) Accessory buildings, antennas and their supporting structures, and in-ground swimming pools shall be allowed only in the rear and side yards.
In the R-16 and R-30 Districts, accessory structures shall be set back at least ten feet from all property lines, and shall not exceed a height of 15 feet.
In the R-16 and R-30 Districts, accessory structures shall be set back at least ten feet from all property lines, and shall not exceed a height of 15 feet.
In the R-6 district and townhouse areas in the RPC, PMD and PMR Zoning Districts, for individual townhouse unit lots, and in the RMH, Residential Mobile Home, Zoning District for individual mobile home lots, accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height, shall not cover more than 50 percent of the yard in which they are located, and shall be allowed only in the rear yard.
In the R-6 district and townhouse areas in the RPC, PMD and PMR Zoning Districts, for individual townhouse unit lots, and in the RMH, Residential Mobile Home, Zoning District for individual mobile home lots, accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height, shall not cover more than 50 percent of the yard in which they are located, and shall be allowed only in the rear yard.
Unless otherwise provided for by this chapter, no accessory structure in any agricultural or residential district shall be used as a dwelling, dwelling unit, or other place of residence, nor for housekeeping purposes. No accessory structure shall be used as part of a home occupation or home business, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter.
Unless otherwise provided for by this chapter, no accessory structure in any agricultural or residential district shall be used as a dwelling, dwelling unit, or other place of residence, nor for housekeeping purposes. No accessory structure shall be used as part of a home occupation or home business, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter.
No accessory building shall be constructed, erected, or otherwise placed on a lot that is not occupied by a principal building, provided that an accessory building shall be permitted when a valid building permit has been issued for a principal building and construction of that principal building is diligently pursued.
No accessory building shall be constructed, erected, or otherwise placed on a lot that is not occupied by a principal building, provided that an accessory building shall be permitted when a valid building permit has been issued for a principal building and construction of that principal building is diligently pursued.
Detached accessory buildings and structures shall be located not less than five feet from any principal structure.
Detached accessory buildings and structures shall be located not less than five feet from any principal structure. An accessory building or structure connected to a principal structure by means of a breezeway, walkway, steps or other impervious surface or structure, whether or not at grade, shall not be considered to be attached to the principal structure. Such accessory structure shall meet all required yard setbacks and the area covered by an enclosed breezeway shall be counted in the total square footage of the accessory structure.
Except as permitted per Part 210, temporary structures, storage containers, and containers used for shipping purposes or truck compartments or trailers shall not be deemed principal or accessory structures or buildings and shall not be permitted.
Except as permitted per Part 210, temporary structures, storage containers, and containers used for shipping purposes or truck compartments or trailers shall not be deemed principal or accessory structures or buildings and shall not be permitted.
Accessory buildings and structures shall not be located so as to restrict access to structures by emergency equipment.
Accessory buildings and structures shall not be located so as to restrict access to structures by emergency equipment.
Source documents
The chapters of the adopted code that were retrieved, read and extracted from. Everything above traces back to one of these.