Albemarle County
Zoning districts
8 districts, grouped by category.
Residential
6Residential, Low Density
- Min lot
- 45,000 sq ft (1.03 ac)
- Max height
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 0.97 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 13
R-10
- Front setback
- 40 ft
- Permitted uses
- 14
R-15 Residential District
- Min lot
- 2,904 sq ft
- Max height
- 65 ft
- Max density
- 15 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 15
Residential, Medium Density
- Min lot
- 21,780 sq ft (0.5 ac)
- Max height
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 2 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 13
R-4 Residential District
- Min lot
- 10,890 sq ft (0.25 ac)
- Max height
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 4 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 14
R-6 Residential District
- Min lot
- 7,260 sq ft
- Max height
- 35 ft
- Max density
- 6 du/ac
- Permitted uses
- 15
General provisions
521 rules that bind every district rather than one — sign regulations, parking, floodplain and the rest of the code’s citywide chapters.
The following uses shall be permitted by special use permit in the RA district, subject to the applicable requirements of this chapter
The following uses shall be permitted by right in the MHD: ...
Density shall not exceed one dwelling unit per 21 acres and the minimum lot size shall be 21 acres.
Density shall not exceed one dwelling unit per 21 acres and the minimum lot size shall be 21 acres. Maximum structure height shall not exceed 45 feet.
The following uses shall be permitted by right in the VR district, subject to the applicable requirements of this chapter
The following uses shall be permitted by right in the VR district... The following uses shall be permitted by special use permit in the VR district...
each lot created is at least five acres in area; and each lot created has at least 250 feet of frontage on an existing public street which is part of the primary system or secondary system of state highways.
No lot may be created by family subdivision unless it has been owned by the current owner or a member of his or her immediate family for at least four consecutive years immediately preceding the date the family subdivision plat is submitted under section 14-209.
The lots affected shall have been: (i) part of an otherwise valid and properly recorded subdivision plat approved pursuant to this chapter or a prior subdivision ordinance of the county; or (ii) part of a properly recorded deed prior to the adoption of the first subdivision ordinance of the county that required an approved subdivision plat under the applicable circumstances.
A preliminary plat shall be valid for: (i) a period of five years from the date it is approved pursuant to this chapter, provided that the subdivider submits a final plat for all or a section of a subdivision as shown on an approved preliminary plat within one year after the approval as provided in section 14-226, and thereafter diligently pursues approval of the final plat; and (ii) any additional period as may be provided by state law.
An approved final plat that is not eligible for being platted in phases under subsection (B) shall be valid for: (i) a period of not less than five years after the date of its approval or for a longer period as the agent may, at the time of approval, determine to be reasonable, taking into consideration the size and phasing of the proposed subdivision; and (ii) any additional period as may be provided by state law.
The commission may authorize a subdivision to be developed with one or more new private streets only under any of the following circumstances: ... (i) the property is within either the rural areas (RA) or village residential (VR) zoning districts; ...
The commission may authorize a subdivision to be developed with one or more new private streets in the following circumstances: ...
Double frontage lots for single family detached and attached residential uses are prohibited.
Each lot within a subdivision shall be of a shape which provides a satisfactory and desirable building site, and shall otherwise be at least the minimum lot width allowed by the applicable provisions of the zoning ordinance.
Each lot within a subdivision shall have frontage on an existing or proposed public or private street;
Each lot, other than a corner lot within the development areas, shall have reasonable access to the building site from only one street, shared driveway or alley established at the same time as the subdivision;
Side lot lines of each lot within a subdivision shall be approximately at right angles or radial to the street line, except turnaround terminal points.
Remnants shall not be created by the subdivision of land. All pre-existing remnants shall be eliminated when the land is subdivided.
Each block within a subdivision shall be wide enough to allow two tiers of lots of the minimum depth allowed by the applicable provisions of the zoning ordinance fronting on all streets.
Source documents
The chapters of the adopted code that were retrieved, read and extracted from. Everything above traces back to one of these.
- CHAPTER 14 - SUBDIVISION OF LAND245K charsRead →
- CHAPTER 18 - ZONING1.5M charsRead →