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 Special Public Interest Overlay Districts established in this article generally operate by establishing performance standards to effectuate the purposes of the district. Except as otherwise provided, they do not supersede the regulations of the underlying zoning district. As provided in section 32-200.05, the strictest or most restrictive standard shall apply in the event of conflict.
The Flood Hazard Overlay District shall include all areas subject to inundation by the base flood. Permitted uses include agricultural uses, open space, parks, etc. Prohibited uses include any use that would increase flood heights.
The following uses and activities... shall be permitted within the floodway fringe to the extent that they are not prohibited by any other provision of this chapter...
No person shall construct, reconstruct, alter, restore, rehabilitate, demolish, or remove any structure or site within a Historic Overlay District, or make any material change in the appearance of any such structure or site, without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness from the ARB.
A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) issued by the Planning Director shall be required prior to the erection, reconstruction, exterior alteration, restoration or excavation of any building or structure within an Historic Overlay District...
The boundaries of the HCOD shall generally extend a depth of 500 feet from the right-of-way line of the designated highway corridor. Development standards include access management, landscaping, screening, lighting, building design, and parking.
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, shall require a Special Use Permit if located in HCODs designated as rural parkway or rural arterial: ...
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, shall require a Special Use Permit if located in HCODs designated as rural parkway or rural arterial: ...
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, require a Special Use Permit if located in HCOD'S designated as suburban parkway, urban parkway or suburban arterial: ...
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, require a Special Use Permit if located in HCOD'S designated as suburban parkway, urban parkway or suburban arterial: ...
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, require a Special Use Permit if located in HCOD'S designated as suburban parkway, urban parkway or suburban arterial: ...
The following uses, when permitted by right as a secondary use in the underlying zoning district, require a Special Use Permit if located in an HCOD designated as Urban Arterial: ...
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District shall include all lands within the County that are within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, designated as RPAs or RMAs. RPA buffer shall have a minimum width of 100 feet.
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District shall apply to all lands identified as a resource protection area and resource management area as designated herein and as determined by section 700 of the Design and Construction Standards Manual.
Buffer area consists of 100-foot wide area of natural or established vegetation adjacent to stream or core RPA components.
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District shall apply to all lands identified as a resource protection area and resource management area...
The installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of utility lines and facilities... shall be exempt from the provisions of this Part 504, provided that such activities are conducted in accordance with best management practices.
Agricultural uses within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Overlay District shall be conducted in accordance with best management practices to minimize the discharge of pollutants to water bodies and wetlands.
The Airport Safety Overlay District is established in recognition of airport related hazards... It is the intent of this overlay district to regulate vertical encroachment obstructions within the airport protection area.
No building, structure, object of natural growth, or use shall be permitted which shall penetrate the airport protection area.
Source documents
The chapters of the adopted code that were retrieved, read and extracted from. Everything above traces back to one of these.